Co-operation may be defined as pooling of resources or working of different individuals or groups together for the achievement of common objectives. Having in mind competition and conflict we should not think that co-operation is impossible among the human beings. Co-operation is one of the basic social processes. Many co-operators may not desire common objects to be achieved and their motives may be different, but the process of co-operation is there. There are people, who cooperate because they want to be helpful to others, while others may be having personal interests and still others may be interested in monetary gains. So it is not wholly correct to say that common desire is the .only purpose behind co-operation. For instance, co-operation of teacher and students in an educational institution is not due to common objectives, but they hive quite different objectives. The teacher co-operates because he is paid and the students, on the other hand, want to get 'knowledge. However, co-operation is an important social process, because without co-operation the structure of society would have not come into existence. The group life would have been impossible without co-operation. The cooperation among the members of the family--infant and mother's co-operation, husband and wife's cooperation is the web of 'fatuity group' and it 'perpetuates the existence of life. The noncooperation of mothers with their children would have made the perpetuation of human race impossible. The same is true in the case of animal life--cooperation is found even among animals.
Culture has a big hand in patronizing co-operation as a social process and helps in socializing the individuals to be co-operative in different social contacts. Even religious institutions advocate co-operation with the members of family, neighbors and playmates. The public co-operates with the government in political, economic and social fields. The casting of votes in general election is also co-operation on the part of public with the government. So in order to keep harmony, peace and order, unity and cohesion in social institutions, social structure and social organizations of communities and society as a whole, co-operation is an utmost necessity.

FORMS OF CO-OPERATION 

There are different forms of co-operation which are discussed as under;
i. Informal and Formal Co-operation. When an old, blind man is helped by a passer-by in crossing the road, then we attribute this type of co-operation as informal, because there are no set rules and regula-tions in this form of interactional process. This informal co-operation can also be attributed as non-contractual co-operation, i.e., without any contract. But, on the other hand, co-operation of teacher and taught, bankers and customers is a formal or contractual co-operation. There are prescribed rules and regulations to social process. In the same way Multipurpose Co-operative Societies, Agricultural Farming Co-operative Societies, in the field of agricultural production, procuring of seeds, fertilizers and sale of products etc., are types of formal cooperation.
ii. Direct and Indirect Co-operation. Direct co-operation comes into existence, when two or more .individuals jointly performs the same or similar jobs. For instance, in agriculture the farmers help one another in performing different jobs, i.e., harvesting, thrashing, plowing etc, which enables them to perform work efficiently. This type of co-operation is called direct co-operation. The indirect co-operation takes place when different individuals co-operate to perform different tasks for achieving the same object. As we find in different industrial establishments like automobile where there is division of labor and each one co-operates in the production of automobile by performing different tasks.
iii. Competitive Co-operation or Co-operative Competition. Certain groups co-operate to compete effectively as in cases of sports we find that different individuals co-operate with one another to form a team of football, hockey, cricket etc. to compete with another team effectively. The success of team through this co-operation is the success of the members of the team. Two teams while playing, i.e., competing with each other also co-operate with each other by abiding rules of the game.
iv. Antagonistic Co-operation or Co-operative Conflict. Cooperation may exist between antagonistic groups. For instance, an organization or a union of employees has to co-operate on certain working conditions with the Directors of an industrial unit or employers, because this type of cooperation is indispensible and both parties cannot exist without it. In the same way, in political field the antagonistic or opposing parties have to make coalition for establishing ministry or government in the country. In the same way, the two antagonistic blocks like Russian and the American have co-operated in signing "Nuclear Test Ban" to achieve world peace. In the same way, certain groups co-operate to intensify conflict, i.e., the co-operation of laborers through "Labor Union" for strike and co-operation of employers for lock-out against laborers are the examples of co-operation for conflict.
v. Subordinate Co-operation. There may be co-operation from the minority or subordinate groups towards superior groups. In the case of slavery the slave has to co-operate with his master. In the same way, Hindus and Muslims are minorities in Pakistan and India respectively and they have had to co-operate with the majority group in many respects in order to live as peaceful citizens in their respective countries. This co-operation is due to compulsion and does not occur due to sweet will of the minority group. The same is the case of "Negroes" in the United States of America as they have to co-operate with the majority, i.e., White Americans.
These forms and extent of co-operation mentioned above vary from institution to institution and society to society.

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EFFECTS OF CO-OPERATION

There are many effects of cooperation on the structure and functioning of human society, e.g.,
i. The family system, the mosque, the church, group life and the economic system are the result of co-operation. Had there been no formal or informal co-operation, the life would have been miserable and without any charm. The state, group life, and culture are the outcome of co-operation.
ii. The security of persons and groups is possible due to co-operation. In community life the services of an individual are reciprocated by the others. Different persons have various roles to perform in the socio-economic order. They can depend on one another in need due to consensus of opinion regarding co-operation.
iii. The element of co-operation is always found in human life, even in the extreme cases of conflict, i.e., war between two or more nations. If there is no co-operation between individuals, this world may turn into hell. The prediction in human behavior, business regulations, government functions, socialization of the new generation, and transmission of culture and personality development would be an impossible task without co-operation among human beings.
Co-operation and conflict are the basic social processes of social life. These interactional processes are present in every sphere of human life in one or the other form. The study, of co-operation and conflict processes is important for the students of sociology. Such a study is theoretically fruitful and pragmatically useful from social action point of view.

Competition as a social process found in every field of human life. Wherever there is interaction among different individuals and groups there is an element of competition. Competition may be called as a struggle between two or more individuals, who are striving to get something which is relatively limited. Whenever the desired goods and services are in abundance to satisfy the needs of each and every individual, the competition may not exist. For instance, under normal circumstances there is no competition for air, water, sunshine etc., which are the free gifts of nature and available in abundance. But under abnormal circumstances
When certain persons are in a desert or sea, there may be competition for getting scarce quantity of drinking water. Thus the underlying factor for competition is the scarcity of certain goods and services which are valued by groups and individuals. The competition refers to the pursuits of goals by individuals or groups the attainment of which depends upon other individuals or groups. The objects perused are limited and the demand exceeds supply of those objects. Competition is goal oriented. The primary concern is directed towards the objects rather than the persons who are competing. Competition is a continuous process until the goal is either achieved or lost. The competition could be direct and continuous, or indirect and unconscious. Competition is an indirect and impersonal process in which personal antagonism, awareness of the identity of the competitors and rivalry do not take place. Due to progress in technology and mechanization the competition among individuals and groups is a bare necessities, it is changing towards improving the respective status and prestige. This is true in those societies where economic system is efficient enough to supply much more than necessities of mere survival. The members of these societies try to compete for a higher social status. Competition is present in every sphere of life. Even the house-mates compete with one another. We find competition in. the fields of business, religion, civil service, military service, art, science, play and recreation etc. As long as there are limited resources and unlimited human wants, the process of competition will continue to exist in one way or the other.


           

RESTRICTIONS ON COMPETITION
  We should not take for granted that competition is a continuous and universal process. Human competition exists as it is defined by the prevailing culture and restricted by the social control. For instance, in Western culture it is proper that several persons anxious to marry a woman may compete, but in a society like Pakistan this type of competition is not encouraged. We find such type of social control (formal or informal) in the form of rules and regulations, mores and folkways, laws and taboos etc., for competition. Freedom of competition is a relative term; in fact it may not exist. For instance, in the United States of America, if a fair-competition is advocated that does not mean that everybody is treated fairly. For example, `Negroes' are not allowed (in some of the States) to compete for certain jobs reserved for the Whites. There is also discrimination in the fields of education, religion, recreation etc. in the U.S.A. In the same way, in Pakistan there is free competition, however, women are not allowed to compete for different jobs with the male population. At the same time, it would be true to say that real culture is something else, while the ideal culture in the field of economic competition is quite different. In economic field we advocate competition as the rule of the day, but it is defied (resist openly) in everyday human activities. There is no pure competition among the laborers, as they organize themselves into different organizations like "Labor Union" and decide not to accept wages below a certain level. In the same way, big industrialists achieve consensus of opinion through "gentle-men's agreement", i.e., not to lower the prices of products from a certain level. In the same way, healthy competition is also avoided through monopoly in economic activities. The culture may intensify the competition for certain goods which are having scarcity and prestige value. There are certain cultures in which competition is given importance. For example, American culture is based upon competition, while certain tribes of Red Indians do not encourage competition. FORMS OF  

COMPETITION
The following are different forms of competition in society;
i. Personal and Impersonal competition takes place in a society when the individuals or groups competing with one another also know one another and the competition is face to face. For instance, the election for the office-bearers among the college or university students is personal competition. As it is face to face and the competitors are conscious of the presence of one another. In the same way, two lovers to win the hand of a woman engage themselves in personal competition as they are conscious of each other in the race. The competition for the posts of Federal Public Service Commission is an example of impersonal competition. In the same way, students trying to top in B.A. examination of the Punjab University or Peshawar University are impersonal competitors, because they do not know one another. At the same title the competitors are not, in most of the cases, striving consciously to defeat their rivals.
ii. Relative and Absolute Competition. An absolute competition can be the competition in which only solitary competitor is ultimately declared successful among two or several competitors. For instance, there can be only President of' Pakistan from amongst two or more competitors. Some is the case of Mr. Universe, Mr. Pakistan or Mr. India. It means that the absolute result should be in favor of a solitary victor. The competition of Rustam-i-Pakistan is also an example of absolute competition, in which only one wrestler is declared as Rustam or Champion of Pakistan and all other competitors have to fight to compete or accept defeat.
Relative competition, on the other hand, is different from absolute competition. For instance, everybody is trying to get wealthy or rich, but one is not supposed to collect the wealth of the whole country or world. There are so many rich people and still the competition. For the richness is rampant. This form of competition is known as relative competition.
iii. Formal or Informal Competition and intra/Inter Group Competition. These terms are self-explanatory. Formal' or informal, intra or inter-group competitions exist both in rural and urban areas of Pakistan. Their intensity and nature vary in both the sections of population.

COMPETITION—IT’S FUNCTION AND RESULTS
1. Competition is a social process. It affects social structure and the pattern of culture. The establishment of industries, special distribution of different groups and individuals are the outcome of competitive forces.
2. Invention and efficiency in every field of social interaction has resulted from competition. There are cases when the people even lose efficiencies, but the progress in material and non-material cultures has been enhanced due to competition.
3. Through democratic spirit of competition certain individuals and groups are restricted to become dominant and monopolist. Its aim is to provide chances to compete in social, political and economic life. It is an admitted fact that in the absence of competition groups and individuals belonging to upper social classes will have privileges in socio-economic activities over other classes and individuals.
To conclude, it would not be out of place to mention that in most of the cases healthy personal competition ultimately leads to conflicts, which indirectly raptures all the cordial and healthy competitive relations. However, it is up to the competitors to observe the rules and regulations of the competition. If these rules and regulation as are not strictly observed it can cause the disassociate form of interaction among the individuals, groups, or societies. Healthy competition in a community is a sign of progress, prosperity and advancement for the individuals and groups.

The interaction can be measured through frequency, duration, intensity and focus of the interacting persons.

• Frequency :The number of times the event is repeated in a given period of time is called frequency. More the frequency, stronger the level of interaction.

• Duration :The time period measured in minutes, hours or days which indicate the period of interaction is called duration. Greater the duration of interaction more the interacting persons accept the impressions or vice versa.

• Intensity :The passions of the interacting persons indicate their involvement (liking/disliking) with each other. More the interaction is intense more the passionate feeling about each other develop.

• Focus: Interaction cannot be without an event which has commonality for the participants. This commonality makes the interaction more effective and the participants focus on the point of their interest with great concentration.

The individuals interact with each other through language following different techniques of communication. It is the interaction that make link between individuals develop groups communities and societies. The young‘s are socialized through the process of social interaction. Interaction makes the human society dynamic, active, participating, cooperating, and competitive or there can be a situation of conflict, all this is interaction.

DEFINITION of Interaction
Social interaction as defined by Sociologists:
1. Sorokin has defined as ―Social interaction is a process which influences the overt or covert behavior or state of mind of individual.
2. Petrek defined as ―Social interaction is a social event that changes the behavior and attitude of the people who are interacting with each other.
3. Merill defined as ―Social interaction is the general process in which two or more persons are in meaningful contacts as a result of which their behavior is modified even slightly.

EXAMPLES

1. Student teacher relationship
2. Give and take between shopkeeper and customer
3. Conversation on telephone between two persons
4. Communication through letters, books, magazines or any other written material

ESSENTIALS OF INTERACTION

1. Two or more persons.
2. Reciprocate relationship between individuals
3. Acceptance or rejection of internal or external situation and change there in.

Which  perspective is the best?
This question cannot be answered, for none is "right" or "wrong," but each is a different way of looking at society. Just as international relations can be viewed either as a state of war interrupted by intervals of peace or as a state of peace interrupted by intervals of war, so society may be viewed either as a condition of cooperation containing elements of conflict or as a condition of conflict containing elements of cooperation. Thus each perspective views society from a different vantage point, asks different questions, and reaches different conclusions. Evolutionists focus upon the similarities in changing societies; interactionists focus upon the actual social behavior of persons and groups; functionalists focus more heavily upon value consensus, order, and stability; conflict theorists focus more heavily upon inequality, tension, and change. For example, in the study of class inequality, evolutionists look at the historical develop-ment of class inequalities in different societies; interactionists study how classes are defined and how people perceive and treat members of their own class and of other classes; functionalists note how class inequality operates in all societies to distribute tasks and rewards and to keep the system operating; conflict theorists focus upon how class inequality is imposed and maintained by dominant classes for their own advantage and at the expense of the less privileged.
For most topics of study, there are some aspects for which each of the perspectives can be useful. For example, consider the development of the modern university. The evolutionary perspective might focus upon
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the procession of scholarly needs and arrangements, extending over several thousand years, which eventually led to the development of the modern university. The interactionist perspective would note the ways in which scholarly needs have been defined at different times and the ways in which persons and groups dealt with one another in creating the university. The functionalist perspective would concentrate upon what changes made universities seem to be necessary, what purposes they fulfilled for the society, and what effects universities have upon their students and upon societies. The conflict perspective would concentrate upon which groups and classes benefit from the university and how access to higher education operates to preserve the position of the privileged groups. For some problems, one perspective may be more useful than another. The development of the hospitality pattern, mentioned earlier, is neatly described in terms of the functionalist perspective as a custom which arose to meet a special need at a special time and place. The conflict perspective is not very helpful in understanding the rise and decline of the hospitality pattern, but the rise of labor unions (to advance workers' interests against those of management) is nicely analyzed within the conflict perspective. There are many other perspectives in sociology—resource theory, systems theory, social learning theory, exchange theory, phenomenology, ethno methodology, and others—but to inflict all of them upon introductory sociology students might convince them that they were in the wrong course! On some topics, different perspectives are so sharply opposed to each other that they cannot possibly be reconciled. On social class and social inequality, for example, the functionalist and conflict perspectives flatly contradict each other about the sources of inequality and the possibilities of attaining social equality. Conflict theorists emphatically deny much of what functionalists say about inequality, and vice versa. More often, however, the different perspectives are complementary, with one pointing out what another slights or ignores. The different perspectives overlap, and all are used by most sociologists but in different mixtures. Thus, no functionalist denies the reality of class exploitation, and no conflict theorist argues that all the interests of rich and poor are opposed (e.g., pure drinking water and clean air are good for both). These are differences in emphasis, and most sociologists would refuse to be classified under any of these labels. Many sociologists, how-ever, have their favorite perspectives, upon which they rely most heavily. But all perspectives are useful and necessary for a complete understanding of society.