The role of task and ego-oriented climate in explaining students’ bright and dark motivational experiences in Physical Education

García-González, Luis (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Sevil-Serrano, Javier (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Abós, Ángel (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Aelterman, Nathalie ; Haerens, Leen

Resumen: Background: A distinction is made in Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) between task-oriented (i.e. effort, intra-individual progress, and self-comparison) and ego-oriented (i.e. inter-individual progress and normative comparison) climates. Combining insights from AGT and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), studies in the PE context have shown that a task-oriented climate positively relates to need satisfaction, although the findings regarding the motivating role of an ego-oriented climate are inconsistent. Moreover, little is known about the role of task- or ego-oriented climates in explaining experiences of basic psychological need frustration. Purpose: Grounded in AGT and SDT, the aim of the present study was to examine if experiences of basic psychological need satisfaction and need frustration can explain why task- and ego-oriented climates elicit positive and negative motivational outcomes in PE, respectively. Research design: Cross-sectional study. Method: A sample of 524 secondary school students (51.1% boys, M age = 14.51; SD = 1.81) from five different secondary schools participated in this study. Students reported on their perceptions of task- and ego-oriented climates, motivational regulations, basic psychological need satisfaction, and need frustration, as well as positive and negative outcomes in PE. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate our objective. Results: We found that a task-oriented climate had a strong and positive relationship with basic psychological need satisfaction, eliciting a bright pathway to autonomous motivation and affective attitude. An ego-oriented climate was positively related to basic psychological need frustration, eliciting a dark pathway to amotivation and boredom. A negative cross-path from task-oriented climate to basic psychological need frustration was also found, while no significant cross-paths were found from ego-oriented climate to basic psychological need satisfaction. Conclusions: This study provides a better understanding of the mechanisms that explain why task- and ego-oriented climates shape students’ motivational experiences in PE lessons. It is suggested that a task-oriented climate elicits a bright pathway towards more optimal functioning, because it fosters experiences of need satisfaction and buffers against experiences of need frustration. In contrast, an ego-oriented climate is primarily positively related to feelings of need frustration and negative motivational outcomes. Practical implications for PE teacher training are discussed.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1080/17408989.2019.1592145

Año: 2019

Publicado en: Physical education and sport pedagogy 24, 4 (2019), 344-358
ISSN: 1740-8989

Factor impacto JCR: 2.618 (2019)

Categ. JCR: EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH rank: 43 / 263 = 0.163 (2019) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.05 - Education (Q1) - Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (Q1) - Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation (Q1) - Sports Science (Q2)

Tipo y forma: Article (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Didáctica Expres.Corporal (Dpto. Expres.Music.Plást.Corp.)