Competitive games motivate improvement and cooperative games build trust, so alternate them and watch for signs that either is going wrong: persistent hostility, exclusion and sulking mean shift toward cooperation, and boredom means add competition. Do not justify competition as a safe outlet for aggression, because the evidence is that venting aggression through aggressive activity does not reduce it. Set sportsmanship norms early and keep real disputes out of the game.
Using competitive and cooperative games in proportion, norms for winning and losing, and what to do when a game turns hostile.
Both Have Uses
Competitive games motivate effort and make for exciting events. Cooperative games let a group work toward a goal against the clock or a puzzle, with no losers among the players. They also keep the less skilled involved.
The parent article lists “a safe outlet for aggression and dominance needs” as a benefit of competition. That is the catharsis idea, and research has not supported it: studies found that people who vented anger through aggressive activity were not less aggressive afterward, and sometimes more (Bushman, 2002; recalled, verify). Don’t offer contests as a way to burn off aggression. Offer them because people enjoy them.
Group conflict. The classic summer-camp study of the 1950s (Sherif and colleagues; recalled, and criticised by later researchers) found that competition between fixed groups bred hostility, while tasks both groups needed to cooperate on reduced it. Treat it as a caution, not a law: repeated contest between the same two sides can harden into factions.
Signs To Watch
| Sign | Likely meaning | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Sulking, blame, name-calling after games | Competition too high | More cooperative games; reset teams |
| The same people always win or always lose | Teams unfair | Re-draw teams by lot; add handicaps |
| Spectators drifting away | Boring or exclusive | Add an activity for them |
| Fights that spill into work | Games carrying real disputes | Separate; use Conflict Resolution |
| Low energy, boredom | Not enough challenge | Add scores or a friendly league |
I have no research that sets a ratio of competitive to cooperative games, so alternate and adjust to what you see.
Sportsmanship Norms
- Winners are gracious. No gloating.
- Losers are respected. No mockery.
- Cheating is unacceptable. A suspected cheat is dealt with by the referee, not by the crowd.
- The referee’s decision is final during the game; review it afterward if needed.
- Real disputes leave the field. A grievance bigger than the game goes to a mediator; see Mediation or Conflict Resolution.
State these at the first session, repeat them, and apply them to the popular players as well.
What You Need
- A mix of both game types
- Fresh teams each session
- A referee with authority
- A humour about losing; see Humor & Laughter
Method: Balance A Season
Step 1: Start the season with cooperative games while people learn each other.
Step 2: Introduce light competition between mixed teams.
Step 3: Review after a few sessions using the table above.
Step 4: Adjust: more cooperation if hostility rises, more competition if energy falls.
Step 5: End the season with a shared event such as a feast, not only a final.
Common Mistakes
- Prizes of real value. Food or tools as prizes turn recreation into a source of resentment; see Gambling & Risk-Taking.
- Ranking people publicly. A league table shames the bottom.
- Using a game to settle a score. Rough play follows.
- Ignoring the loser’s mood. Check in after a close defeat.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Organizing Community Sport — the system around the games
- Combine with: Social Bond Strengthening — team design for cohesion