Maximal Aerobic Power as a Function of Achievement Motives, Future Time Orientation, and Perceived Intrinsic Instrumentality of Physical Tasks for Future Goals among Males

Abstract

The following results, based on responses of 128 high school boys, were found: (i) Motive for success affects maximal aerobic power indirectly positively through motive for failure and perceived intrinsic instrumentality. According to the indirect effects, increased strength of motive for success is accompanied by a decreased motive for failure which results in increased maximal aerobic power. In addition, increased strength of motive for success has a positve influence on perceived intrinsic instrumentality which results in increased maximal aerobic power. (ii) The direct effect of motive for failure on maximal aerobic power is negative. However, this negative effect is reduced somewhat by the positive indirect effect of motive for failure on maximal aerobic power through perceived intrinsic instrumentality. Increased strength of motive for failure is accompanied by an increased perceived intrinsic instrumentality which results in increased maximal aerobic power. (iii) Perceived intrinsic instrumentality affects maximal aerobic power directly and positively. (iv) Future time orientation did not affect maximal aerobic power. (v) Motive for success affects future time orientation directly and positively, and indirectly positively through motive for failure. According to the indirect effect, increased strength of motive for success influences a decreasing motive for failure which increases the future time orientation. The interpretations of these findings are based on the following assumptions related to Nuttin's (1984) cognitive model: achievement motives are transformed or channeled into future goal objects, means-end structures, and plans of action, i.e., motives stimulate goal setting and the development of the individual's future time orientation, structure subgoals and goals in the path after importance is related to the ultimate goal (i.e., instrumentality), regulate the behavior at each step and realize the goals. In addition, the interaction of motives with one or more of the following variables, i.e., motor, cognitive (e.g., future time orientation), cognitive-situational (e.g., instrumentality), and situational (e.g., goal distance in time) variables, is supposed to have an important effect on the different types of mentioned behavior.