Changes in Social Perceptions Contingent Upon Competing or Cooperating

Many studies have been performed on competition and cooperation. For the most part, they have dealt with the comparative efficiency of individuals employing these techniques of behavior. The present investigation does not concern itself with comparative efficiency, but with the effects on the individual who is competing or cooperating. The present problem is designed to investigate the effects of competing or cooperating with a group on the individual's perception of this group with regard to acceptance, rejection, or indifference. Evaluation of these perceptions is provided by the sociometric test. The use of this test as a valid, reliable and meaningful criterion of one way in which an individual perceives his group and is perceived by the group has been discussed in a previous paper. It will serve as the criterion of social perception of the investigation of the variables of competition or cooperation.