Dr Maria Kavussanu has taken part in a round table discussion around competition and rivalry for BBC World Service programme The Forum, in an episode titled 'Rivalry: When does healthy competition become destructive?'.
Among the issues explored were the effects of individual versus team competition on motivation, why athletes choke in competitions, and how athletes deal with competitive pressure. Dr Kavussanu also discussed different ways athletes approach competition, the motivational profile associated with top performance in sport, and the important role coaches play in promoting healthy competition. All three participating academics agreed that competition is a positive motivating force that can lead to top performance, but that we need to ensure that we teach fair play. Joining Dr Kavussanu was the historian Philip Mansel and psychologist Stephen Garcia.
The full episode, which is being broadcast worldwide between the 28 May and 1 June, is available on iPlayer Radio.