Cooperation or competition: A comparison of US and Chinese college students

The differences between the higher education systems in the United States and the People's Republic of China were examined regarding U.S. and; Chinese college students' reliance on cooperation or competition as success strategies. Although the summary scores for cooperation and competition showed no significant differences between the 2 samples, key indicators in the scales directly tapping cooperation and competition demonstrated striking differences. It is therefore suggested that U.S. college students are more inclined toward cooperation, whereas their Chinese counterparts rely more on competition. The 2 samples, however, had similar predictors for cooperation and competition, indicating that students who favor cooperation and those who favor competition share similar characteristics, regardless of their national and cultural origins.