Individual-level change in achievement goals in physical education

We examined different methods of assessing individual-level stability and change in goal adoption within the context of school physical education (PE) over the transition from primary to secondary school and between school years in Key Stage 3. We assessed whether implicit theories of ability and gender were associated with individual-level change and ipsative continuity. Data from two longitudinal samples in which pupils completed self-reports of achievement goal adoption and implicit theories of ability are presented. Across both samples there was evidence of both goal stability and change across the key transition periods and some evidence for the role of implicit theories of ability in goal stability and change at the individual-level. Pupil gender was not associated with stability and change in goals in a consistent manner. Implications for future research are discussed

Temporal relations among multidimensional perceptions of competence and trichotomous achievement goals in physical education

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was two-fold: (1) To empirically establish whether young people differentiate their perceived competence in physical education (PE) in terms of the self, mastery of tasks, and others, and (2) To examine longitudinal relations between these three ways of defining perceived competence and trichotomous achievement goals. Methods: At the start of the study, students (n = 227 males, n = 205 females; M age = 13.18, SD =.87 years) completed measures of mastery-approach, performance-approach- and performance-avoidance goals, along with other-, self- and mastery-referent forms of perceived competence. The same measures were subsequently recorded three, six and nine months later. Results: Analyses supported longitudinal factorial invariance for each goal and each type of perceived competence. Partial support was found for the positive influence of other-referent perceived competence on approach- and avoidance-performance goal adoption over time. Conclusion: Young people can construe their competence in PE in various ways. Relative to one’s classmates, increases in other-referenced perceptions of competence can subsequently lead to increased adoption of both performance goals

Motivational climate interventions in physical education: a meta-analysis

Objective: The purpose of this study was to synthesize findings from motivational climate interventions employing Ames (1992a, 1992b) and Epstein’s (1988, 1989) TARGET framework within school-based physical education contexts. Design: The present study employed a quantitative research synthesis design. Meta-analysis uses empirical studies to summarize past research by drawing overall conclusions from separate investigations. This research design highlights important and unsolved issues related to motivational climate interventions within physical education. Methods: Standard meta-analytic procedures incorporating inclusion and exclusion criteria, literature search, coding procedures, and statistical methods were used to identify and synthesize 22 studies with 24 independent samples. Cohen’s (1988) criteria for effect sizes were used to interpret and evaluate results. Results: There was an overall small positive treatment effect (g ¼ 0.103) for groups exposed to mastery motivational climates. Outcome analyses identified the most consistent and largest overall treatment effects for behavioral outcomes (g ¼ 0.39e0.49) followed by affective outcomes (g¼ 0.27 to 0.59) and cognitive outcomes (g¼ 0.25 to 0.32). Moderator analyses were directed by study heterogeneity and identified several trends in intervention features and study features with the most substantial trend for participant features as elementary students had the largest overall treatment effect (g¼ 0.41). Conclusions: Outcome and moderator analyses identified several trends in methodological features, participant features, and study features that should be addressed in future physical education motivational climate interventions

Implicit theories of ability in physical education: Current issues and future directions

Purpose: In light of the extensive empirical evidence that implicit theories have important motivational consequences for young people across a range of educational settings we seek to provide a summary of, and personal reflection on, implicit theory research and practice in physical education (PE). Overview: We first provide an introduction to the key constructs and theoretical propositions associated with implicit theories. We then include a brief summary of the research findings on ability beliefs in school PE, which we draw on to identify several key issues that we feel are crucial to furthering our understanding of this topic. We conclude by offering a number of ideas for future research and discuss the potential misinterpretation of implicit theories when applied to professional practice in PE. Conclusion: We argue that researchers need to address more nuanced questions around implicit theories to prevent this area of inquiry stalling. Moreover, we need to provide teachers with more specific recommendations to help them integrate theory and research into practice

Motivation and self-enhancement as antecedents of implicit theories in youth sport

We explored motivation, and specifically the motivation to see oneself in a positive light, as an antecedent of implicit theory endorsement in two youth sport contexts. Data from two studies that represent four samples are reported. We provide the first evidence of an antecedent of implicit theories in the physical domain and show that young people's implicit theories may be shaped by motivation and self-enhancement. In both contexts, we found that strengths were viewed as more malleable than their weaknesses, and that these differences disappeared when considering the same attributes in others. Moreover, in one context, we showed that desire to change a perceived weakness may act as a self-protective motive against the potentially negative effects of beliefs about its stability. The current study enhances our understanding of how implicit theories may be shaped in young people through identifying internal factors that promote the endorsement of these important motivational constructs