F. Cury

Perceptions of Competence, Implicit Theory of Ability, Perception of Motivational Climate, and Achievement Goals: A Test of the Trichotomous Conceptualization of Endorsement of Achievement Motivation in the Physical Education Setting

To test and extend the conceptualization of the endorsement of achievement goals in the physical education setting Mastery, Performance-approach, and Performance-approach goals, Perception of the physical education competence, Implicit theory about sport ability, and Perception of the motivational climate were assessed among 682 boys attending five French schools. Analysis indicated that (1) Performance-approach goals were positively associated with perception of physical education Competence, Entity beliefs about sport ability, the Performance dimension of the motivational climate, and negatively associated with Incremental beliefs about sport ability. (2) Mastery goals were positively associated with perception of physical education Competence, Incremental beliefs about sport ability, the Mastery dimension of the motivational climate, and negatively associated with the Performance dimension of the motivational climate. Also, (3) Performance-avoidance goals were positively associated with Entity beliefs about sport ability and the Performance dimension of the motivational climate; these goals were negatively associated with Incremental beliefs about sport ability and perception of physical education Competence. These results clearly attested to the validity of the trichotomous model in the physical education setting.

The trichotomous model and investment in learning to prepare for a sport test: a mediational analysis.

BACKGROUNDnContemporary views on motivation suggest that the approach-avoidance achievement goals conceptualization--namely the trichotomous model--can shed light on the important issue of student motivation.nnnAIMSnTo test the predictive value of the trichotomous model on the investment in learning a sport task for test preparation, and to validate a model which included a set of psychological processes (i.e., state anxiety and competence valuation) which mediate the relationship between the three goals (i.e., performance-approach, performance-avoidance, and mastery goals) and test preparation. The study was designed to investigate the direct and mediational effects of three experimental goal conditions on the time in which pupils prepared for a sport test.nnnSAMPLEnFrench male school pupils (N = 75). Pupils were aged 13-15 years and attended schools in southern France.nnnMETHODnPupils prepared themselves for a sport task with a 5-minute period of training, and performed in one of three experimental conditions to which they were randomly assigned: a performance goal with a positive outcome focus (performance-approach), a performance goal with a negative outcome focus (performance-avoidance), or a mastery goal.nnnRESULTSnPupils in the performance-avoidance group reported higher state anxiety and lower competence valuation than those in the performance-approach and mastery groups, and this psychological state was associated with less time taken to prepare for the test.nnnCONCLUSIONnSchool pupils placed in an examination preparation context that elicits a performance goal with a negative outcome focus (performance-avoidance) show motivational deficits which manifest themselves in less time spent practising. The trichotomous model appears to be valid for the study of motivational processes in school physical education.