The effects of different motivational climates on students' achievement goals, motivational strategies and attitudes toward physical education

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse whether conducting physical education lessons according to different motivational climates leads to a significant difference between students' achievement goals, motivational strategies and attitudes towards physical education. Participants (81-ninth grade students) were allocated to one of three experimental groups. The researchers conducted a 12-week programme of physical education lessons with the experimental groups. The programme used the same lesson plans; however, in each experimental group, the researchers created different motivational climates (mastery, performance approach or performance avoidance) according to the Motivational Climate Observer Control List. The students' achievement goals, motivational strategies and attitudes towards physical education were measured at the beginning and end of the semester. Consequently, it was observed that the mastery-and performance-approach focused-motivational climates within physical education lessons produced positive outputs in terms of cognitive and affective scores. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.