The Relationship Between Motivation, Goal Orientation, and Perceived Autonomy Support From the Coach in Young Norwegian Elite Hockey Players.

Arne M Jakobsen

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.811154

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between motivation, goal orientation, and perceived autonomy support from the coach among junior elite hockey players. The study is based upon the theory of self-determination and the goal orientation theory. The first aim of the study was to investigate whether high scores on task involvement and perceived autonomy support from the coach may explain the intrinsic motivation of the players. Secondly, we sought to discover whether the most autonomous extrinsic motives may be explained by high scores on task involvement and perceived autonomy support from the coach. Lastly, we investigated whether the most controlling extrinsic motives may be explained by greater ego involvement or by both ego and task involvement and less perceived autonomy support from the coach. A total of 401 players aged 14–18 took part in the survey. The results show that intrinsic motivation can be explained by high scores on both task and ego involvement. The two most autonomous extrinsic motives—integrated and identified regulation—were both explained by task and ego involvement and perceived autonomy support from the coach. The two most controlled motives—introjected and external regulation—were both explained by high scores on task and ego involvement.

Highlights

In this study we have considered the kind of motivation that dominates among junior elite ice hockey players, whether these players are task- or ego-orientated and to what degree the players perceive autonomy support from their coach
There are 191 players who are high on task involvement and low on ego involvement
Intrinsic motivation is explained by high scores on both task and perceived autonomy support from the coach, where task involvement is more important

Summary

Introduction

In this study we have considered the kind of motivation that dominates among junior elite ice hockey players, whether these players are task- or ego-orientated and to what degree the players perceive autonomy support from their coach. We have tried to ascertain whether goal orientation and perceived autonomy support from the coach can explain different kinds of motivation. We have not found any other studies which have looked into this relationship with both goal orientation and autonomy support. Over the last 30 years, numerous studies grounded in self-determination theory have investigated individuals’ motivation in different settings (Deci and Ryan, 1985; Ryan and Deci, 2000, 2019). People may have different reasons for engaging in activities (Vallerand, 2007a,b). When athletes engage in an activity for the satisfaction and pleasure derived from the activity itself, they

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