Identity-based rivalry: A common identity across competitors leads to rivalry perceptions and better performance

Researchers in psychology and management have recently examined what leads competitors to perceive that they are in a rivalry (e.g., repeated competitions) and what the consequences of rivalry are (e.g., better performance). Other researchers have long focused on the importance of social identity for how people evaluate themselves and others. In two studies, we connect and extend this past work by examining whether having the same identity as an opponent (specifically, gender or nationality) produces rivalry effects. In an online experiment, we found that sport competitors are more likely to perceive their same-gender opponents as rivals than their different-gender opponents (and this was especially the case for men). These stronger rivalry perceptions were predicted by competitors’ greater similarity, greater frequency of past competitions, and greater competitiveness with their same-gender opponents. Then, in an analysis of data from Major League Baseball (MLB), we found that batters from the Dominican Republic and the United States hit better when a same-nationality catcher was behind the plate. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of identity-based rivalry.