Achievement goals and perceived ability predict investment in learning a sport task.
BACKGROUND
Contemporary views on motivation suggest that expectancy-value and social-cognitive perspectives can shed light on the important issue of student motivation.


OBJECTIVE
To test the predictive value of achievement goals on the investment in learning a sport task. Two studies investigated whether investment in learning is affected by achievement goals and perceived ability.


METHODS
Study 1: 57 school pupils selected from an initial sample of 212. Study 2: 99 pupils selected from 400. Selection was based on motivation and perceived ability scores from questionnaires. Pupils were aged 13-15 years and attended schools in northern France.


METHODS
In Study 1 pupils prepared themselves for a sport task with a five-minute period of training. Study 2 pupils prepared themselves with a five-minute period of training after prior failure.


RESULTS
Study 1 showed that those who were ego-involved with a low perceived ability had a weaker investment in the training situation than those ego-involved with a high perceived ability, or those task-involved regardless of their perceived ability. Ego-involved pupils used an attributional bias to minimise the effect of effort on performance. Study 2 confirmed these results by underlining the motivational deficits of ego involvement for those with a low perceived ability.


CONCLUSIONS
School pupils with high ego involvement in a sport task and low perceived ability show motivational deficits which manifest themselves in less time spent on practising a task. A social-cognitive and expectancy-value perspective appears to be valid for the study of motivational processes in school physical education.
Cury
F
F
Laboratoire de recherche en STAPS, University of Paris XI-Orsay, France.
Biddle
S
S
Sarrazin
P
P
Famose
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*