We are social beings, and many of our preferences and experiences as individuals are shaped by our social interactions. The following image shows the expanding social circle that has the individual in its nucleus. As the distance from the core grows, the context that binds the individual to that circle, changes.
Proximity to the core of the circle, to the self, has only some influence on the quality of relationships, however. One can be estranged from their family, but have deep and meaningful relationships with friends. The emotional variability is wide. Another way to understand the preceding concentric circle, involves influence, a quality that experience designers are very interested in.
A competitive urge is another quality of an individual in a social context. It is a desire to do better than others, and the motivation may be a quest for internal fulfillment, or anticipation for external reward. Business, sports, and politics are the quintessential competitive arenas...