2. What is Motivation?
Motivation has been defined as „the direction and
intensity of ones efforts‟ (Sage 1977)
Direction refers to the decision to commit and to
turn up to training on a regular basis.
The intensity dimension is about how much
people are prepared to give in each training
session.
In sport, these dimensions are often related, with
committed individuals attending training on a
regular basis and working hard during their
sessions. However what could happen if
somebody wants to win so badly??
3. Approaches to Motivation
Like personality the motivational area takes a
similar approach and most fit motivation into the
following 3 orientations:
Trait centred orientation
Situation centred orientation
Interactional orientation
Based upon the personality centred approach can
you come up with a description of each
motivational viewpoint?
4. Trait centred view
Motivated behaviour is primarily a function of
individual characteristics
The personality, needs and goals of a person are
the primary determinants of motivated behaviour
Some people have the characteristics to be
successful and have high levels of
motivation, others seem to lack motivation have
no “get up and go” or desire
Contradictions????
Situations must be taken into account
5. Situation centred view
Motivation levels are determined by the situation
e.g. Little Johnny might be motivated to play in a
competitive rugby match but less so when in
training or in the gym.
However can we remain motivated despite a
negative environment that has been caused?
Maybe the situation was not the primary factor for
influencing motivation?
6. The interactional view
Motivation does not solely depend upon participant
factors alone or situational factors alone but how these
two sets of factors interact
Participant – by –
Situation interaction
Personal Factors
Situational Factors
Personality
Participant Leader/coach style
Needs
Motivation Facility attractiveness
Interests
Team win/loss record
Goals
7. What is Achievement motivation?
This refers to a persons efforts to master a
task, achieve excellence, overcome
obstacles, perform better and take pride in their
talent (Murray, 1938)
Achievement motivation concerns with the desire
to do well, succeed and reach standards in ones
own eyes and the eyes of others, and reflects a
willingness to persist in behaviour that enables
higher standards to be reached despite the
possibility of failure (Hill, 2001)
Achievement motivation in sport is known as
competitiveness.
8. Theories of Achievement Motivation
As coaches it would be beneficial if we
understand why motivation differences occur in
different people so we can intervene.
Therefore we must look at how a persons
achievement motivation can influence
behaviour, thoughts and feelings such as choice
of activity, effort to pursue goals, and our
persistence.
The following theory attempt to explain how we
act in certain situations.
10. Need Achievement theory Model
Motive to Probability Approach Focus on
=
achieve of success success pride of
success success
X
Incentive Avoid Focus on
Motive to value of =
failure shame of
avoid failure success
failure
Personality Situational Resultant
Emotional
Factors Factors Tendancy
Reactions
11. Activity
Look at the handout, and the table on the
previous page. Attempt to explain the 5
components that make up the need achievement
theory, use examples to illustrate your answers.
12. Personality Factors
Each of us have 2 underlying achievement
motives:
Achieve success v Avoiding failure
The need to achieve success (n.Ach) – motivated to
achieve success for feelings
of pride and satisfaction.
The need to avoid failure (n.Af) –motivated to avoid
failure so as to avoid feelings of shame and humiliation
„A person who has high levels of achievement motivation
would have a tendency to strive for success, persist in the
face of failure and experience pride in accomplishments.‟
(D. Gill 1986)
13. Situational factors
2 primary considerations
Probability of success & Incentive value of
success
Probability of success depends on whom you
play against or difficulty of task
Value of success would be higher if playing
against a more challenging opponent
Provides high achievers most incentive for
engaging in achievement behaviour
Low achievers don‟t see it this way, losing an
evenly matched game will maximise
embarrassment
14. Resultant tendencies
High achievers seek out challenges because they
enjoy competing others of equal ability or
performing tasks not too easy.
Low achievers avoid challenges opting for easy
tasks where success is guaranteed or for
unrealistic challenges where failure is certain.
With whom will a 50-50 chance of winning cause
uncertainty and worry over?
15. Emotional reactions
This relates to how much pride or shame the
individual experiences.
Both low and high achievers will want to increase
pride and minimise shame, however the situation
will react differently with certain personalities
What do you think high achievers and low
achievers will focus more on?
16. Achievement Behaviour
Shows us how the other 4 components interact to
influence behaviour.
High Achievers Low Achievers
More Challenging tasks Avoid intermediate risk
Prefer intermediate risks Perform worse in evaluative
situations
Perform better under Avoid challenging tasks
evaluation
Enhanced performance Perform Poorly
17. Conclusion
What are the approaches to motivation?
How could we define achievement
motivation
What are the 5 components that make
up the achievement motivation theory?
