Approach-avoidance goals in team sport athletes’ : the predictive ability of the motivational climate

• Introduction: The motivational climate is an important determinant of athletes’ achievement goals. The relationship between the motivational climate and athletes’ achievement goals is also well examined within the dichotomous achievement goal framework. However, the relationship between the motivational climate and athletes’ approach-avoidance achievement goals (Elliot, 1999) is still an unexplored area in competitive sports. The only study to date in competitive sports included the higher order dimensions, mastery and performance climate, not the six underlying dimensions (Morris & Kavussanu, 2008). The purpose of this study was to examine whether motivational climate dimensions can predict team sport athletes’ approach-avoidance achievement goals.  Methods: 319 team-sport athletes’ (males=156, females=163, mean age=20 years, SD=3.6) completed measures of the perceived motivational climate (PMCSQ-2) and approach-avoidance achievement goals (AGQ-S). Hierarchal regression analyses for each of the four achievement goals were performed, while controlling for the effect of age and gender. Two sets of analyses were performed: (1) using the higher order dimensions as predictors; and (2) using the six underlying dimensions as predictors.  Results: The first set of analyses showed that mastery-approach goals were positively predicted by a mastery climate; mastery-avoidance goals were positively predicted by a performance climate and also influenced by age and gender; performance-approach goals were positively predicted by a mastery climate and a performance climate; and performance-avoidance goals were positively predicted by a performance climate and also influenced by age. The second set of analyses showed that mastery-approach goals were positively predicted by Effort/Improvement; mastery-avoidance goals were positively predicted by Punishment for Mistakes and also influenced by age and gender; performance-approach goals were positively predicted by Intra-Team Member Rivalry; whereas performance-avoidance goals were only influenced by age. Discussion: These findings indicate differential relationships between the motivational climate dimensions and competitive athletes’ approach-avoidance goals. The cross-over effects from social-environmental to individual achievement goals (e.g., that a performance climate predicted mastery-avoidance goals) highlight the need for future research to develop measures addressing both approach and avoidance aspects of the motivational climate.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Approach-avoidance goals

Motivational climate

Team sports

Psychology

Psykologi

Psychology

psykologi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)