While academic competition has often been considered essential in top universities, social psychologists have found that competition ““ in excess ““ can ultimately lead to negative side effects, even deterring students from success.
Robert P. Vecchio, a University of Notre Dame management professor who specializes in workplace envy, performed a study that showed that competition among coworkers leads to jealousy and a loss of productivity.
According to his research, 77 percent of workers that he surveyed witnessed workplace envy, with more than half being directly involved in it.
Vecchio’s study found that employees who were involved with jealousy tended to slack off by withholding their efforts.
But in an academic environment, Vecchio said, envy can lead to unhealthy competition and a winner-takes-all approach to studying.
Erika Viloanueda, a UCLA alumna, said that she noticed a cutthroat mentality could occur when students were vying for accomplishments such as coveted graduate programs and medical schools.
“It’s competitive in the sense that everyone keeps to themselves, and no one really helps each other,” Viloanueda said.
She added that by-products of excessive competition, such as a loss of teamwork, were evident in the way that students studied.
“There are people who are very protective of their notes, and will not form study groups,” she said.
But according to Vecchio’s research, envy is to blame.
“Envy is the fear of losing social standing. … It can affect people in subtle and unseen ways. People don’t want to admit to it. … If you’re admitting that you’re jealous, you’re admitting that you have a sense of inferiority,” Vecchio said.
It is precisely this fear of losing social standing, students said, that motivated so many to use unethical methods to get ahead.
Rita Wong, a third-year environmental science student, said that while she hasn’t seen students sabotage each other herself, she has certainly heard about it.
“There was a rumor that lab students would sabotage each other’s work at night by adding just a couple chemicals to their lab work,” Wong said.
Wong said that in certain classes, such as chemistry, tampering with a student’s lab work could cost the victim an entire grade ““ ultimately affecting their chances of attending a top graduate school.
Vecchio also added that he had heard rumors of students tampering with library articles so that other students wouldn’t be able to get essential information.
While it isn’t known how and when sabotage does occur, other students agree that another side effect of competition ““ cheating ““ is rampant at UCLA.
Viloanueda said that despite UCLA’s zero-tolerance policy, students cheat often.
“Students use technology a lot these days to cheat. Someone will have a cell phone, and connect it to the internet during an exam.” Viloanueda said.
She speculated that though students are caught, even more go undetected.
“It’s hard to simultaneously watch like 300 people,” Viloanueda said.
Wong also said that she has seen a lot of students cheat, though it’s been more obvious.
“Some students even had their textbooks out on their desks,” Wong said.
Vecchio, whose smaller private school in Notre Dame is monitored by peer counselors, said that he believes size may be a factor when it comes to unethical student practices.
“People often feel more disconnected in larger workplaces ““ and more likely to perform unethically because of a lack of communication,” Vecchio said.
It is this disconnectedness that makes some students believe that cheating may be more likely in South Campus, where competition is fiercer and students are not as engaged with each other.
“The competition in South Campus is very different from competition in North Campus ““ we’ve got a lot more pre-dentistry and pre-med majors. Most areas at UCLA are tough ““ but South Campus is especially difficult because of the level of competition,” Viloanueda said.
As a result of negative effects of competition such as envy, Vecchio said, students might be more likely to cheat, sabotage or perform below their abilities.
His solution: good, old-fashioned teamwork.