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Competition can result in both advantageous and detrimental results. A common view of evolution is that inter-species and intra-species competition is the driving force of adjustment and ultimately, evolution. However, some biologists, most famously Richard Dawkins, prefer to think of evolution in terms of competition between single genes, which have the welfare of the organism 'in mind' only insofar as that welfare furthers their own selfish drives for replication. If this is so, then competition in the context of evolution may not be beneficial to humans. Social darwinists claim that competition also serves as a mechanism for shaping the best-suited group, politically, economically, and ecologically;however, this belief is very questionable.

However, competition can also have negative consequences, particularly on the human species. Potential damaging effects include the injury of other organisms and the drain of valuable resources and energy for competition. In addition, human competition may also need large amounts of money and can also lead to the compromising of ethical standards in order to gain an advantage in the competition. For example, several athletes have been caught using banned steroids in professional sports in order to boost their own chances of success or victory. Finally, competitive striving can also be harmful for the participants.