Achievement Goals and their Underlying Goal Motivation: Does it Matter Why Sport Participants Pursue their Goals?

Patrick Gaudreau,Arthur Braaten

doi:10.5334/pb.266

Abstract

This study examined whether the good or bad outcomes associated with mastery-approach (MAP) and performance-approach (PAP) goals depend on the extent to which they are motivated by autonomous or controlled motivation. A sample of 515 undergraduate students who participated in sport completed measures of achievement goals, motivation of achievement goals, perceived goal attainment, sport satisfaction, and both positive and negative affect. Results of moderated regression analyses revealed that the positive relations of both MAP and PAP goals with perceived goal attainment were stronger for athletes pursuing these goals with high level of autonomous goal motivation. Also, the positive relations between PAP goals and both sport satisfaction and positive affect were stronger at high levels of autonomous goal motivation and controlled goal motivation. The shape of all these significant interactions was consistent with tenets of Self-Determination Theory as controlled goal motivation was negatively associated with positive affect and sport satisfaction and positively associated with negative affect. Overall, these findings demonstrated the importance of considering goal motivation in order to better understand the conditions under which achievement goals are associated with better experiential and performance outcomes in the lives of sport participants.

Highlights

Tenants of the Achievement Goal Theory (e.g., Elliot & McGregor, 2001) have provided ample evidence for the distinction between goals that are aimed at outperforming others and those that are oriented at mastering tasks
mastery-approach goals (MAP) goals At Step 1, MAP goals were significantly associated with perceived goal attainment, satisfaction, and positive affect while being negatively associated with negative affect
Important knowledge has been garnered because researchers have generally been able to show, replicate, and conclude that the autonomous goal motivation underlying the endorsement of MAP and performance-approach goals (PAP) is associated with desirable outcomes (e.g., Benita et al, 2014; Gaudreau, 2012; Gillet et al, 2015; Gillet et al, 2014; Michou et al, Figure 2: Moderating role of autonomous goal motivation in the relation between PAP goals and perceived goal attainment (Panel A), sport satisfaction (Panel B), and positive affect (Panel C) and moderating role of controlled goal motivation in the relation between PAP goals and sport satisfaction (Panel D) and positive affect (Panel E)

Summary

Introduction

Tenants of the Achievement Goal Theory (e.g., Elliot & McGregor, 2001) have provided ample evidence for the distinction between goals that are aimed at outperforming others (i.e., performance-approach; PAP) and those that are oriented at mastering tasks (i.e., mastery-approach; MAP). We built upon the contributions and legacy of Willy Lens by examining whether autonomous and controlled goal motivation moderate the associations of MAP and PAP goals with the subjective experience (i.e., affective states, sport satisfaction) and perceived goal attainment of individuals participating in sport activities. Similar results were reported in a second meta-analysis of 13 studies examining objective or non self-reported indicators of sport performance (Van Yperen, Blaga, & Postmes, 2014). In both meta-analyses, the relation between PAP goals and sport performance was heterogeneous across studies – a finding that suggests that further work is required to elucidate for whom and under which conditions PAP goals relate to better performance outcomes

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Conclusion