Manipulating achievement motivation in physical education by manipulating the motivational climate

Abstract

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 Epstein's (18, 19) TARGET structures, or a group receiving the school's 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 group's 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.