D122

Competitiveness

BD09 Motivation & Drive
Derived LayerMML-2

Version v1.2.4

Definition

A tendency to compare oneself to others and assign motivational weight to winning, ranking, and relative position.

Poles

Each HES element is a spectrum, not a category: the Low and High poles describe how it presents at its two extremes, while the Reference marks the typical, everyday middle. The poles map variation across the range — neither end is inherently better or worse.

Low Pole

Low interest in rankings; prefers internal standards and cooperative frames.

High Pole

Strongly win-oriented; relative advantage can outweigh absolute quality.

Reference

Selective competitiveness—high in a few identity-relevant arenas, low elsewhere.

Measure

Primary: Weight — the degree to which relative superiority drives choices and persistence.

Measuring Methods

Choice scenarios: equal outcome vs outperforming another + behavioral tasks with leaderboards/rank feedback.

Empirical Anchor

Competitiveness / trait competitiveness (Houston et al., 2002); hypercompetitive attitude (Ryckman et al., 1990).

Notes

Ambition can exist without competitiveness (high goals pursued “for the mission,” not to beat others).

Citation

APA

Human Elements System. (2026). Competitiveness (HES Passport D122, v1.2.4). hestable.com. https://hestable.com/passport/D122

BibTeX

@misc{hes_D122, author = {{Human Elements System}}, title = {{Competitiveness}}, year = {2026}, note = {HES Passport D122, v1.2.4}, howpublished = {\url{https://hestable.com/passport/D122}} }