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How competitive are you?
posted at 13/8/2012 10:50 AM BST
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 1492
First: 7/4/2011 Last: 18/6/2013 |
The Olympics is a public spectacle of competitiveness – but what drives this type of behaviour? Medical Xpress report that “Dr Kristin Hillman and Professor David Bilkey, both from the Department of Psychology, have found that neurons in a specific region of the frontal cortex, called the anterior cingulate cortex, become active during decisions involving competitive effort. The researchers have discovered that neurons in this region appear to store information on whether a course of action demands competition, what the intensity of that competition will be, and critically, whether or not the competition is ‘worth it’ to achieve an end reward. Their study, which appears online today in the journal Nature Neuroscience, is the first to examine how competitive behaviour is encoded by neurons in the brain. The researchers used a novel experimental set-up for rats which mimics cost-benefit decisions that we humans face every day: do I choose option A which has a small but easily achievable reward, or do I choose option B which, although it provides the prospect of a larger reward, requires me to compete against a peer? They found that in foraging rats, certain cortical neurons became more active when competitive scenarios like option B were considered and pursued. Dr Hillman says the activity of these neurons appeared to encode when it was worth competing and when it was too risky. For example, when up against a highly motivated or physically dominant competitor, a rat’s neural activity patterns changed markedly, she says.” Whilst the results of this study cannot be fully compared to human motivations and behaviour– I thought it was a decent (or tenuous) segue into asking everyone how competitive you think you are? The medical profession, and certainly medical school has a reputation for competitiveness but do you actually see yourself as being competitive? You may also be interested in a previous discussion on competitiveness in medical students a.k.a "gunners" http://doc2doc.bmj.com/forums/bmj_student-bmj_overcompetitive-medical-students-gunners |
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Re: How competitive are you?
posted at 14/8/2012 12:23 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1213
First: 19/4/2010 Last: 14/6/2013 |
Competetive, me? Who was the first person in my year at medical school to get their membership? Their MD? Their consultant job? Who will be the first person to get a chair....? We're all massively competetive, aren't we? If not externally, internally - be the best we can be? I think it's why there's so many doctors in my local triathlon club - we all want to beat our own times, and those of each other. When will I finally win a race???? |
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Re: How competitive are you?
posted at 14/8/2012 3:34 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 7
First: 14/10/2011 Last: 4/9/2012 |
I was fortunate enough to get daily occupational and physiotherapy after getting too close to CRPS earlier this year. The hand thearpist: Were you sporty when younger?
Me: Why? Hand therapist: Because we can't engaeg you in carft making (like basket weaving) but every time there's a competition (darts/table-tennis/jenga etc) you attempt to thrash your opponent to bits! Helena |
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Re: How competitive are you?
posted at 14/8/2012 3:44 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1213
First: 19/4/2010 Last: 14/6/2013 |
Is there competetive basket weaving? There should be. Three of us in the tri club do our CP20 tests around the same time - competetitve? If there was a form of competetion to stretching, we'd be much better triathletes...
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Re: How competitive are you?
posted at 14/8/2012 5:21 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1302
First: 9/12/2011 Last: 12/6/2013 |
Lets See, I am Extremely Competitive, probably because of my Military Background. I was in the U.S. Army Military Police, and cross trained in Spec Ops Medicine, I was certified as a Paramedic, and Did Ranger training while attached to 3/75th Ranger battalion. While In Germany I did Special Forces trainig with German Police, Feldjagers, and GSG-9! So I guess that makes me Extremely competitive. Which as an aside makes me somewhat Outspoken here on BMJ, so to all members, if I get too Boisterous, please forgive me, and realize it is not personal. As odysseus would say, we all have our Ithacas, and I guess my journey will end somewhere. Hopefully Good! DuaneF |
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Re: How competitive are you?
posted at 14/8/2012 10:48 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 3003
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 17/6/2013 |
If you say you are not competitive you are in denial. My main adversary is me. My other adversaries are that old Titan, Chronos (time) and his mate, Thanatos (death). These two always win but one's legacy may be enduring (at least for a while or until Kosmos ends). We each pass on the fire-brand of life to the next generation and it is our job to keep it burning brightly. This only comes from striving. We now know of epigenetics and atavistic memories. I learnt in my Greek lesson last night in this lovely and complex tongue they have two words for competition; (to use Roman alphabet) synagonismos (competition of a friendly and respectful kind) and antagonismos which is bitter rivalry which leaves a sour taste in the mouth (viz. USSR versus USA in the Cold War Olympics). Agonas is the struggle/contest bit which contains the idea of agony (even lactate accumulation). Synagonismos is the father of excellence. |
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Re: How competitive are you?
posted at 15/8/2012 9:37 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1336
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 16/6/2013 |
I think there is a distinct difference between being competitive and doing the best that you can. As doctors I suspect most if not all of us wish to do the best we can every day for our patients but that's about professional commitment not competition. Competition is about beating someone or something else so, in that respect (as DrS suggests), there is competition between us and the diseases we fight day in, day out. But competition in the true sense of the word in not good for healthcare in comparison to co-operation and collaboration. |
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Re: How competitive are you?
posted at 15/8/2012 9:40 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1213
First: 19/4/2010 Last: 14/6/2013 |
Whether it's good for healthcare or not, I think competetiveness is clearly a major part of most doctor's pscyhes. Listen to idle chat in the mess - FY doctors, like PRHOs before them, talk about who put in the first chest drain, or central line, or arterial line, before any of the others did. The resp SpRs want to be the first to do 100 bronchs, put in stents, do an EBUS etc. You're right, though, of course: this competition is best focused into collaboration and co-operation.
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