Márta Fülöp

Márta Fülöp

Márta Fülöp

Scientific Advisor and Head of the Social and Cultural Psychology Research Group of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Professor of Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest

Hungary

Keynote

Patterns of Competitiveness-What kind of competitors are we and what are the potential implications in our life?

Competition and competitiveness have been controversial phenomena in the psychological literature, the negative sides were highlighted and the positive sides under-investigated. One explanation of this apparent bias have been the very simplified construct of competitiveness.

Competition results in winners and losers. Winning and losing have emotional, motivational, behavioural consequences. These consequences and the different patterns of reacting to winning and losing have been also under-researched.

Is there any relation between competitive attitudes characterizing an individual and how constructively that individual can cope with winning and losing? Are these psychological phenomena interrelated?

Are there constructive patterns of competitiveness and constructive ways of coping with winning and losing? Is there any type of competitiveness that seems to relate to better psychological and somatic health? Is there such a construct as “non-competitiveness”? Is competition avoidance healthy? Is a competitive school climate a risk for psychological and somatic health? Is a non-competitive school climate protective? How competitive patterns change with age and do they have any significance in our health in old age? Are competitive patterns culturally affected?

The talk is going to revisit the concept of competitiveness and provide research evidence of a differentiated view of it which makes it possible to elaborate effective intervention to promote adaptive competitive behaviours and prevent the non-adaptive ones.

Short Bio
  • Recipient (in 2018) the distinguished Ranschburg Pál Plaque of the Hungarian Psychological Association for outstanding contribution to scientific research
  • Secretary General, International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology
  • Secretary of International Affairs, Hungarian Psychological Association
  • Research Fellow of Japan Foundation (1996-1997)
  • Lindzey Fellow (1997-1998) Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, USA
  • Head of the Social Psychology Division of the Hungarian Psychological Association (2000-2008)