The Evolutionary Cost of Competition: A Bio-Psychosocial Analysis of Developmental Constraints
Vo Minh Vinh （ Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Tomas Bata, Zlin, Czech Republic ）
Nguyen Ngo Phuong Lam （ Wellspring Hanoi International Bilingual School, Hanoi, Vietnam ）
Hoang Minh Quan （ Faculty of Business Management, University of Greenwich, London, UK ）
https://doi.org/10.37155/2972-4856-0401-5Abstract
In today’s performance-driven world, this study explores how competitive settings create complex limitations on human development. Grounded in Life History Theory, Social Comparison Theory, and the Theory of Planned Behavior, the research investigates the biological, psychological, and social processes that contribute to developmental stagnation. It focuses on how biological activation response (BAR) and perceived social competition (PSC) directly influence human development constraints (HDC) while also analyzing how revolutionary adaptability (RA) and social norm sensitivity (SNS) moderate these effects. Using a quantitative approach, the study collected 385 responses from students, professionals, and development specialists in Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia through stratified purposive sampling. The findings reveal that both BAR and PSC significantly intensify developmental barriers in highly competitive environments. Furthermore, RA helps mitigate the adverse effects of BAR, whereas SNS increases the harmful impact of PSC. These results challenge the common belief that competition inherently promotes growth, emphasizing instead how it can hinder development across biological, psychological, and social domains. The study suggests practical reforms, including adaptability training, personalized evaluation methods, and emotional resilience programs. It offers an innovative framework that enriches the understanding of competitive stress and provides valuable guidance for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals aiming to support sustainable human development.
Keywords
Human development constraints; Biological activation response; Perceived social competition; Social norms sensitivity; Revolutionary adaptabilityFull Text
PDFReferences
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[2].Ajzen, I. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self‐efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(4), 665–683. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2002.tb00236.x
[3].Arechavala‐Lopez, P., Cabrera‐Álvarez, M. J., Maia, C. M., & Saraiva, J. L. (2022). Environmental enrichment in fish aquaculture: A review of fundamental and practical aspects. Reviews in Aquaculture, 14(2), 704–728. https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.12620
[4].Babbie, E. R. (2020). The practice of social research. Cengage AU.
[5].Bagozzi, R. P. (1992). The self-regulation of attitudes, intentions, and behavior. Social Psychology Quarterly, 55(2), 178–204. https://doi.org/10.2307/2786945
[6].Bahrami, S., & Drabløs, F. (2016). Gene regulation in the immediate-early response process. Advances in Biological Regulation, 62, 37–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbior.2016.05.001
[7].Bateson, P., Gluckman, P., & Hanson, M. (2014). The biology of developmental plasticity and the Predictive Adaptive Response hypothesis. The Journal of Physiology, 592(11), 2357–2368.
[8].Bazan, C. (2022). Effect of the university’s environment and support system on subjective social norms as precursor of the entrepreneurial intention of students. SAGE Open, 12(4), 21582440221129105. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221129105
[9].Bobo, L., & Hutchings, V. L. (1996). Perceptions of racial group competition: Extending Blumer's theory of group position to a multiracial social context. American Sociological Review, 61(6), 951–972. https://doi.org/10.2307/2096302
[10].Bratanova, B., Loughnan, S., Klein, O., & Wood, R. (2016). The rich get richer, the poor get even: Perceived socioeconomic position influences micro-social distributions of wealth. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 57(3), 243–249. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12281
[11].Chang, Y. Y., & Shih, H. Y. (2019). Work curiosity: A new lens for understanding employee creativity. Human Resource Management Review, 29(4), 100672. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2018.10.005
[12].Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage Publications.
[13].Crocker, J., & Park, L. E. (2004). The costly pursuit of self-esteem. Psychological Bulletin, 130(3), 392–414. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.130.3.392
[14].Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.
[15].Ellis, B. J., & Del Giudice, M. (2019). Developmental adaptation to stress: An evolutionary perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 70(1), 111–139. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122216-011732
[16].Ellis, B. J., Abrams, L. S., Masten, A. S., Sternberg, R. J., Tottenham, N., & Frankenhuis, W. E. (2022). Hidden talents in harsh environments. Development and Psychopathology, 34(1), 95–113. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579420000887
[17].Festinger, L. (1957). Social comparison theory. Selective Exposure Theory.
[18].Filaire, E., Rouveix, M., Alix, D., & Le Scanff, C. (2007). Motivation, stress, anxiety, and cortisol responses in elite paragliders. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 104(3_suppl), 1271–1281.
[19].Fisher, R. J., & Ackerman, D. (1998). The effects of recognition and group need on volunteerism: A social norm perspective. Journal of Consumer Research, 25(3), 262–275. https://doi.org/10.1086/209538
[20].Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2014). A proposed framework for preventing perfectionism and promoting resilience and mental health among vulnerable children and adolescents. Psychology in the Schools, 51(9), 899–912. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21792
[21].Garcia, S. M., Tor, A., & Schiff, T. M. (2013). The psychology of competition: A social comparison perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8(6), 634–650. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691613504114
[22].Gardner, S. K. (2010). Keeping up with the Joneses: Socialization and culture in doctoral education at one striving institution. The Journal of Higher Education, 81(6), 658–679. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2010.11779076
[23].Gaspar, R., Palma-Oliveira, J. M., & Corral-Verdugo, V. (2010). Why do people fail to act? Situational barriers and constraints on ecological behavior. In Psychological approaches to sustainability: Current trends in research, theory and practice (pp. 269–294).
[24].Hill, K. (1993). Life history theory and evolutionary anthropology. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 2(3), 78–88.
[25].Holmes, K. (2019). Neuroscience, mindfulness and holistic wellness reflections on interconnectivity in teaching and learning. Interchange, 50(3), 445–460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-019-09360-6
[26].Jahoda, M. (1959). Conformity and independence: A psychological analysis. Human Relations, 12(2), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872675901200201
[27].Koutsimani, P., Montgomery, A., & Georganta, K. (2019). The relationship between burnout, depression, and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 429219.
[28].Liu, Q. Q., Zhou, Z. K., Yang, X. J., Niu, G. F., Tian, Y., & Fan, C. Y. (2017). Upward social comparison on social network sites and depressive symptoms: A moderated mediation model of self-esteem and optimism. Personality and Individual Differences, 113, 223–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.03.037
[29].Lundberg, U. (1999). Stress responses in low-status jobs and their relationship to health risks: Musculoskeletal disorders. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 896(1), 162–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1999.tb08113.x
[30].Mallick, R. (2025). Strengthening the bonds between us: An empirical investigation of morale in human–AI teams and the socially supportive AI teammates who empower it.
[31].McManus, E., Haroon, H., Duncan, N. W., Elliott, R., & Muhlert, N. (2022). The effects of stress across the lifespan on the brain, cognition and mental health: A UK Biobank study. Neurobiology of Stress, 18, 100447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100447
[32].Nishii, L. H., & Leroy, H. (2022). A multi-level framework of inclusive leadership in organizations. Group & Organization Management, 47(4), 683–722. https://doi.org/10.1177/10596011221111505
[33].Norheim, K. B., Jonsson, G., & Omdal, R. (2011). Biological mechanisms of chronic fatigue. Rheumatology, 50(6), 1009–1018. https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keq454
[34].Obradović, J. (2016). Physiological responsivity and executive functioning: Implications for adaptation and resilience in early childhood. Child Development Perspectives, 10(1), 65–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12164
[35].Parks, C. D., Joireman, J., & Van Lange, P. A. M. (2013). Cooperation, trust, and antagonism: How public goods are promoted. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(3), 119–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612474436
[36].Peters, T., & Rodabaugh, K. (1988). Thriving on chaos: Handbook for a management revolution. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377366.1988.10401142
[37].Ruiz, F. J., Warner, N. S., Acampora, G., Coleman, J. R., & Kohan, L. (2023). Substance use disorders: Basic overview for the anesthesiologist. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 137(3), 508–520.
[38].Salvador, A., & Costa, R. (2009). Coping with competition: Neuroendocrine responses and cognitive variables. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 33(2), 160–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.09.005
[39].Sassaroli, S., & Ruggiero, G. M. (2005). The role of stress in the association between low self-esteem, perfectionism, and worry, and eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 37(2), 135–141.
[40].Sroufe, L. A. (1982). The organization of emotional development. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 1(4), 575–599. https://doi.org/10.1080/07351698209533421
[41].Stolle, D., Soroka, S., & Johnston, R. (2008). When does diversity erode trust? Neighborhood diversity, interpersonal trust and the mediating effect of social interactions. Political Studies, 56(1), 57–75. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.2007.007
[42].Swab, R. G., & Johnson, P. D. (2019). Steel sharpens steel: A review of multilevel competition and competitiveness in organizations. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(2), 147–165. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2340
[43].Thompson, S. C., & Spacapan, S. (1991). Perceptions of control in vulnerable populations. Journal of Social Issues, 47(4), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1991.tb01831.x
[44].Wilson, A. E., & Ross, M. (2000). The frequency of temporal-self and social comparisons in people's personal appraisals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(5), 928–942. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.78.5.928
Copyright © 2026 Vo Minh Vinh, Nguyen Ngo Phuong Lam, Hoang Minh Quan
Publishing time:2026-01-08
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License