Culture & SocietyPositive / NegativeIntermediateHigh Frequency

IELTS Essay: Competitiveness is a positive quality for people in most societies. How does ...

Prompt

Competitiveness is a positive quality for people in most societies. How does competitiveness affect individuals? Is it a positive or negative trend?

#competitiveness#psychology#motivation#social cohesion#individual vs. collective

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Band 7 → 9 — Band 7 acknowledges that competitiveness drives achievement but can harm relationships and well-being, while Band 9 distinguishes when competition creates innovation and excellence vs. when it erodes trust, increases anxiety, and rewards luck over merit.

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Key concepts in this essay

motivational psychology and goal-setting
social comparison and mental health
zero-sum vs. positive-sum competition
cultural and institutional factors shaping competitive norms

Pitfalls the model essay avoids

Assuming competitiveness is uniform across contexts (e.g., workplace, education, sports) without examining where it motivates vs. where it breeds resentment
Confusing outcome (some people win more) with mechanism (how competition shapes behavior and self-image)
Offering a binary positive/negative judgment without exploring moderating factors (e.g., whether it's individual or group competition, whether stakes are fair)

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