Research shows that competition can drive attention, physical effort, and learning. The social motivation of competing against one's peers can challenge a student to work much harder on his or her tasks than he or she would independently feel compelled to do so.

Is competition a good motivator?

Competition can increase motivation, improve productivity and performance, and provide accountability and validation. ... Whether internal or external, competition can increase motivation, improve productivity and performance, and provide accountability and validation.

Why is competition good for students?

Through competitions students can gain better understanding of how to deal with conflicting opinions and ideas. They can learn how to collaborate with widely differing personalities. They can learn to manage subjectivity in their lives. And they can learn to better gauge and evaluate risks.