Physiological markers of challenge and threat mediate the effects of performance-based goals on performance

We predicted that adopting a performance-approach vs. performance-avoidance goal would lead to physiological responses characteristic of psychological states of challenge vs. threat appraisals, respectively. Furthermore, we predicted that these states would mediate the effects of goals on performance. Twenty-seven undergraduate females performed a task described as identifying either exceptionally strong performers (performance-approach goal) or exceptionally weak performers (performance-avoidance goal). Participants’ cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) was recorded while they performed the task. As predicted, participants in the performance-approach goal condition performed better on the task than did those in the performance-avoidance goal condition. Also as predicted, those in the former condition exhibited a challenge pattern of CVR whereas those in the latter condition exhibited a threat pattern of CVR. Furthermore, physiological responses mediated the effects of performance-based goals on performance

The Effect of Coach's Task- and Ego-Involving Climate on the Changes in Perceived Competence, Relatedness, and Autonomy Among Girl Handballers

International audienceAdolescents, especially females, have been identified as a group at risk of poor health due to their declining level of physical activity. To prevent sporting attrition, several researchers highlighted the importance of the fit between the motivational context provided by the coach and the socio-emotional needs brought by adolescents. This study concerns the role of the coach's task- and ego-involving climate on the changes in 3 fundamental perceptions underlined by the self-determination theory (8): perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Contrary to the cross-sectional nature of the former studies, this one used longitudinal survey data from 236 French girl handballers. The 3 perceptions were measured by a questionnaire at the beginning and the end of one season. In the middle of the season, perceptions of coaches' motivational climate were also evaluated. Results showed that at the end of the season, feelings of competence, autonomy, and relatedness were both positively predicted by a task-involving climate and negatively predicted by an ego-involving climate, even after controlling for the level of each variable at the beginning of the season

Physiological markers of challenge and threat mediate the effects of performance-based goals on performance

Manuscript "in press", Journal of Experimental Social PsychologyWe predicted that adopting a performance-approach vs. performance-avoidance goal would lead to physiological responses characteristic of psychological states of challenge vs. threat appraisals, respectively. Furthermore, we predicted that these states would mediate the effects of goals on performance. Twenty-seven undergraduate females performed a task described as identifying either exceptionally strong performers (performance-approach goal) or exceptionally weak performers (performance-avoidance goal). Participants' cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) was recorded while they performed the task. As predicted, participants in the performance-approach goal condition performed better on the task than did those in the performance-avoidance goal condition. Also as predicted, those in the former condition exhibited a challenge pattern of CVR whereas those in the latter condition exhibited a threat pattern of CVR. Furthermore, physiological responses mediated the effects of performance-based goals on performance

Do Achievement Goals Mediate Stereotype Threat? An Investigation on Females' Soccer Performance

International audienceThis research investigated stereotype threat effects on women's performance in sports and examined the mediation of this effect by achievement goals. The influence of two stereotypes – relative to the poor athletic ability and the poor technical soccer ability of women – were studied. Fifty-one female soccer players were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, introducing the task as diagnostic of athletic ability, technical soccer ability, or sports psychology. Next, they filled out a questionnaire measuring achievement goals and performed a soccer-dribbling task. Results showed that compared to the control condition, females' performance significantly decreased in the athletic ability condition and tended to decrease in the technical soccer ability condition. Moreover, participants endorsed a performance-avoidance (relative to performance-approach) goal when the stereotypes were activated. However, this goal endorsement was not related to performance. The implications of these results for understanding the role of stereotypes in gender inequalities in sports are discussed

Sex and Age Differences in the Endorsement of Sex Stereotypes Associated with Driving

Sex and age differences are particularly pronounced in car accidents. Current psychological research is exploring the relationship between risky driving and compliance with sex stereotypes, notably conformity with social expectations concerning masculinity. Some studies have already shown that sex stereotypes associated with driving (SSAD) may influence driving behaviors. The aim of this research was to explore the participants' sex and age differences in SSAD endorsement. A questionnaire was developed and validated on four dimensions of SSAD: male's driving skills and female's compliance with traffic rules, courtesy behind the wheel, and risk avoidance in driving. SSAD endorsement was measured for 291 licensed drivers from 18 to 64 years of age. Results revealed that females endorsed the female's risk avoidance stereotype more (p < .05), whereas males endorsed the male drivers (driving skills) stereotype more (p < .05). Results also revealed that the endorsement of male's driving skills decreases with age (p < .01) and the endorsement of female's courtesy increases with age among all participants (p = .01), while the endorsement of female's compliance with traffic rules increases with age only among female participants (p < .05). The results are discussed in terms of in-group/out-group relations and sex and age differences.Les différences de sexe et d'âge sont particulièrement prononcées dans des accidents routiers. La recherche psychologique actuelle explore la relation entre la conduite dangereuse et la conformité aux stéréotypes de sexe, notamment la conformité avec les attentes sociales concernant la masculinité. Certaines études ont déjà montré que les stéréotypes de sexe associés à la conduite (SSAD) peuvent influencer les comportements de conduite. L'objectif de cette recherche est d'explorer les différences de sexe et d'âge dans l'adhésion aux SSAD. Un questionnaire a été élaboré et validé sur les quatre dimensions de la SSAD: la compétence de conduite des hommes et la conformité avec les règles routières, la courtoisie au volant, et l'évitement des risques dans la conduite des femmes. L'adhésion aux SSAD a été mesurée chez 291 participants de 18 à 64 ans titulaires du permis de conduire. Les résultats ont révélé que les femmes adhèrent plus au le stéréotype de la femme évitant le risque (

Mothers' Expectancies and Young Adolescents Perceived Physical Competence : A Year-long Study

International audiencePerceived physical competence can be an important predictor of the physical activity behavior of children and adolescents. Investigated in this study was the role of mothers' expectancies effects in shaping their child's perceived physical competence. Data were obtained from 156 French children and young adolescents and their mothers. Structural equation modeling revealed that mothers' perceptions of their child's physical competence predicted their child's own perceived physical competence one year later, independent of the child's previously demonstrated physical ability and the child's initial level of perceived competence. Child's gender moderated the relation in that mothers' perceptions of their daughters' competence were related significantly to their child's perceived competence but that relation was not present between mothers and sons

Motivation and Dropout in Female Handballers: A 21-month Prospective Study

International audienceThe purpose of this study was to test a motivational model of sport dropout that integrates the 4 stage-causal sequence proposed by the Hierarchical Model of Vallerand (1997) and elements from achievement goal theory (Nicholls, 1989). The model posits that a task involving motivational climate facilitates, while an ego-involving climate undermines, perceptions of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. In turn, feeling incompetent, non autonomous, and unrelated to others undermines self-determined motivation toward handball which leads to the intention of dropping out of handball. Finally, such intentions are implemented later on. Three-hundred and thirty-five females handballers completed a motivation questionnaire and were followed for 21-months. Results from structural equation modeling analyses provided basic support for the model. Findings are discussed in light of their theoretical and applied implications

Predicting persistence or withdrawal in female handballers with Social Exchange theory

International audienceTwo complementary studies were conducted to explain the dropout phenomenon with French female handball players, utilizing the tenets of social exchange theory (Thibaut & Kelley, 1959; Rusbult, 1980). In the first study, the aim was to more fully explore the sources of enjoyment by emphasizing the key variables in the costs/benefits analysis. We postulate that the costs/benefits analysis consists in each athlete estimating the probability of reaching the most desired consequences for him or her (e.g., learn and improve skill, affiliation with others, be better than the others). The subjects were 488 French women aged from 15-19 years. Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that enjoyment in handball was predicted by a latent variable (named perceived benefits) subjacent to perceptions of competence, autonomy, relatedness, progress, coach's support, and time of play. In the second study, we tested a sport commitment model based on the social exchange postulates, using SEM analyses and a prospective design over 8 months. In view of the results of study 1, we replaced the construct of enjoyment with perceived benefit. This analysis provides a more comprehensive understanding of the enjoyment construct and is more consistent with the notion of cost and benefits outlined in social exchange theory (Thibaut and Kelley, 1959). Participants were 253 French handball players between the ages of 14 and 16 years. A first set of analyses, focused on the differences, showed that dropout players perceived themselves as significantly less competent, less autonomous, less related to their team, lower in progress and less supported by their coach than persistent players. The second set of analyses with SEM revealed that the commitment level was positively associated with perceived benefits and negatively with social constraints and alternatives opportunities. Finally, a lack of commitment led to dropping out of the sport 8-months later.Deux études complémentaires destinée à mieux comprendre le phénomène de l'abandon chez des handballeuses françaises à partir des postulats de la théorie de l'échange social (Thibaut & Kelley, 1959; Rusbult, 1980), ont été conduites. La première étude s'est intéressée aux sources du plaisir lié à la pratique sportive. Nous avons postulé que l'analyse coûts/bénéfices correspondait à une estimation d'atteindre les motifs les plus importants de pratique (e.g., apprendre et progresser, avoir des amis, être meilleur que les autres). Les sujets étaient 488 handballeuses françaises âgées de 15 à 19 ans. Les résultats d'analyses par équations structurelles (AES) ont révélé que le plaisir en handball était prédit par une variable latente (dénommée “bénéfices perçus” dans l'activité) sous jacente aux perceptions de compétence, d'autonomie, d'affiliation, de progrès, du soutien de l'entraîneur, et du temps de jeu moyen en match. Dans la deuxième étude, nous avons testé un modèle de l'engagement sportif basé sur les postulats de la théorie de l'échange social, en utilisant des AES et un suivi longitudinal de 8 mois. Au regard, des résultats de la première étude, nous avons remplacé le construit de plaisir par celui des bénéfices perçus. Cette analyse permet une compréhension plus complète des notions de coûts et de bénéfices développées dans la théorie de l'échange social (Thibaut et Kelley, 1959). Les participants étaient 253 joueuses âgées de 14 à 16 ans. Les résultats ont montré que les joueuses qui avaient abandonné se percevaient moins compétentes, moins autonomes, moins liées à leur équipe, moins en progrès et moins encouragées par leur entraîneur que les joueuses persistantes. De plus, l'AES a révélé que le niveau d'engagement était associé positivement aux bénéfices perçus, et négativement aux contraintes sociales et aux activités alternatives. En retour, un faible niveau d'engagement prédisait un taux élevé d'abandon 8 mois plus tard

Anxiété pendant les évaluations en EPS : le rôle prédictif du modèle 3 x 2 des buts d'accomplissement

International audienceBasée sur cinq dimensions, une nouvelle échelle (Danthony, Mascret et Cury, 2019) a récemment été développée afin de mesurer l'anxiété pendant les évaluations en Éducation Physique et Sportive (EPS). Quatre dimensions mesurent les manifestations négatives de l'anxiété : l'inquiétude (pensées relatives à l'échec), la centration sur soi (ce que vont penser ou dire les autres de ma performance), les symptômes corporels (effets physiologiques spécifiques) et la tension somatique (état de nervosité). La cinquième dimension, nommée le contrôle perçu, mesure l'effet positif de l'anxiété (capacité d'atteindre l'objectif et de réussir malgré le stress).Notre étude a examiné l'anxiété pendant les évaluations en EPS en relation avec le modèle 3 x 2 des buts d'accomplissement, qui a récemment été utilisé dans la littérature portant sur les évaluations à l'école en général. Ce modèle catégorise la compétence selon trois définitions (tâche, soi, autrui) et deux valences (approche, évitement), qui conduisent à six buts d'accomplissement (Elliot, Murayama et Pekrun, 2011). Le but de cette étude a donc été de mesurer le rôle prédictif du modèle 3 x 2 des buts d'accomplissement sur l'anxiété pendant les évaluations dans le contexte spécifique de l'EPS.486 élèves de l'académie d'Aix-Marseille (Mage = 15,83, ET = 1,20) ont rempli volontairement et anonymement le questionnaire RTAR-PE mesurant l'anxiété pendant les évaluations en EPS (Danthony et al., 2019) et le questionnaire AGQ-S mesurant les six buts d'accomplissement (Mascret, Elliot et Cury, 2015). L'analyse des résultats obtenus par régressions hiérarchiques a révélé que (1) concernant la valence des buts, seuls des buts d'évitement prédisent positivement les facteurs négatifs de l'anxiété (inquiétude, centration sur soi, symptômes corporels, tension somatique) alors que les buts d'approche en sont des prédicteurs négatifs, (2) concernant la définition des buts, les buts d'autrui-évitement prédisent négativement le contrôle perçu. Une meilleure appréhension des caractéristiques psychologiques des élèves (tels que les buts d'accomplissement) pourrait permettre de réduire l'anxiété pendant les évaluations en EPS en orientant les élèves vers certains buts

Achievement goals, perceived ability and active search for information

International audienceThe purpose of this investigation was to test the predictive value of the achievement goals theory on voluntary information selection. In a first study, 86 subjects could assess their performance after a motor test. The results showed that ego-oriented subjects chose normative information if they had a high perceived ability, and rejected information if they had a low one; task-oriented subjects chose objective information regardless of their perceived ability. In a second study, 108 subjects could use information during a training period. Data confirmed the prior results for ego-oriented subjects, and showed that task-oriented subjects preferred task information if they had a low perceived ability and objective information if they had a high one