Daniel A. Weigand

Parental, peer, teacher, and sporting hero influence on the goal orientations of children in physical education

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between goal orientations and perceptions of the motivational climate emphasized by parents, peers, teachers and sporting heroes for children in physical education (PE). Additionally, gender differences in goal orientations and perceptions of the motivational climate were examined. A total of 266 male and female secondary school PE pupils from the United Kingdom completed a survey assessing personal goal orientations for PE and perceptions of the motivational climateemphasized by parents, peers, teachers and sporting heroes. Results indicated that goal orientations were related to these perceptions. Specifically,task orientation was related to perceptions of a learning-oriented climate from parents, peers and teachers and to perceptions of a mastery orientationinsporting heroes. In contrast, an ego orientation was related to perceptions of a comparison climate from parents, peers and teachers, and to perceptions of an ego orientation in sporting heroes. Results are discussed in terms of the implications that the influence of significant others might have for intervention efforts designed to enhance the quality of youngsters’ motivational development in PE.

Manipulating achievement motivation in physical education by manipulating the motivational climate

This study examined the effect of manipulating the motivational climate on achievement goal orientations, satisfaction/boredom, and perceived competence in physical education (PE). Participants were 40 English students (M age = 15.9, SD = 0.51) participating either in an experimental group that included a series of highly task involving lessons, based on the manipulation of Epsteins (18, 19) TARGET structures, or a group receiving the schools existing style of PE lessons. Results of MANOVA and 2 × 2 (Group × Time) mixed factor ANOVAs on the pre- and post-intervention data indicated that students in the mastery climate experienced significantly (all p < .05) higher levels of task orientationand perceptions of competence, and were more satisfied and less bored, post-intervention compared to pre-intervention and compared to the other group at either time. The mastery climate groups ego orientation also significantly decreased from pre- to postintervention, but did not significantly differ from the other group. The findings are discussed with regard to the implications of manipulating the task structure in PE and organized youth sport.

Motivational climate in sport and physical education: The role of significant others

The purpose of this paper is to review research that has considered the interaction of dispositional (goal orientations) and situational (motivational climates) factors of achievement motivation. The paper begins with a review of achievement goal and motivational climate theories. Next, research is highlighted that focuses on the relative influence of significant others such as parents, coaches, teachers, sport heroes, and sport scientists on the development of achievement motivation in sport and physical education.

The use of imagery across competitive levels and time of season: a cross-sectional study among synchronized skaters in Finland.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to gain an insight into the use of imagery by Finnish synchronized skaters. A total of 269 skaters (senior=85, junior=98, novice=86) simultaneously completed the original and a translated version of the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ; Hall, Mack, Paivio, & Hausenblas, 1998) twice, first at the beginning of the pre-season (July–August 2002) and then during the competitive season (January 2003). Multivariate analyses of variance revealed (all P<0.05) that senior skaters used more cognitive specific (CS), motivational general-arousal (MG-A), and motivational general-mastery (MG-M) imagery than junior skaters; differences in CS, cognitive general (CG), MG-A, and MG-M imagery were found between senior and novice skaters; between junior and novice skaters, differences were found in CG and MG-A imagery. Time of season analyses revealed skaters used more CG, MS, and MG-M imagery during the competitive season than at the beginning of the pre-season. No significant interaction effect between competitive level and time of season was observed. The results are discussed in relation to the applied model of imagery (Martin, Moritz, & Hall, 1999). To make competitive level transitions less demanding, the results suggest that a psychological skills training programme should be introduced for novice synchronized skaters.

Children's goal profiles and perceptions of the motivational climate:Interactive association with self-determined motivation and affective patterns in physical education.

Developing an understanding of youngster’s motivation for physical education (PE) is becoming increasingly important. This study examined the interactive effects of children’s multiple goal profiles and perceptions of the motivational climate on indices of self-determined motivation and affect in 429 students (201 boys, 228 girls; M age = 11.2, SD = .39) in northwest England. MANOVA results revealed a significant (p < .05) main effect for goal profiles and perceived motivational climate. Moreover, a significant interaction between goal profiles and perceived climate was found: Children with high mastery/high performance profiles had high levels of intrinsic motivation and identified regulation, regardless of the climate. In contrast, other profile groups (i.e., high mastery/low performance, low mastery/high performance, low mastery/low performance) were more likely to have high levels of intrinsic motivation and identified regulation from exposure to a perceived mastery climate. These results are discussed in terms of the contribution they appear to make to recent analyses of multiple goals.

Introduction to the special issue on motivational climate in sport and physical education

This issue of the European Journal of Sport Science is dedicated to six investigations of motivational climate in sport and physical education. The combined results of these articles underscore the facilitative value of significant others in developing achievement motivation among sport and physical education participants. Moreover, the research supports the argument that task-involved climates - where effort, learning, and self-referential goal achievement are promoted - produce more adaptive motivational climates than do ego-involved climates, where winning and social comparisons of ability are advocated.