1. Unit 17 – Psychology for Sports Performance
Motivation for Sports Performance - Theories

2. Task One
Using one A4 sheet of paper make the best paper aeroplane that you can. It needs to travel the distance of the room
Don’t waste your sheet! Plane designs optional!

3. What was your motivation for the test?
Was it the need to succeed?
Was it the fear of not being able to make it?

4. Achievement Motivation Theory
Atkinson (1964) suggested that motivation comes from an individuals personality and is their motivation to strive for success
It is this drive that makes athletes want to continue even if they fail or have obstacles in their way
Atkinson grouped these athletes into two categories. Need to achieve (NAch) and Need to avoid failure (Naf)

5. NAch & Naf Need to Achieve. (Low Naf/High NAch)
The desire of success far outweighs the fear of failure.
Referred to as high achievers
Need to Avoid Failure.
(Low NAch/High Naf)
The fear of failure far outweighs the desire to succeed.
Referred to as low achievers.

6. Task Two Everyone in a circle Pass the tennis ball around the circle
Everyone must receive and throw the ball once
Remember who last passed the ball to you

7. What do you attribute the success or failure of this task to?
Questions
What do you attribute the success or failure of this task to?

8. Attribution Theory
Attribution theory looks at how people explain success and failure
Attributions provide explanations for your success or failure and fall into one of the following categories
Stability – Is the reason permanent or unstable
Causality – Is it something that comes from an internal or external factor?
Control – Is it under your conscious control

9. Task Three
Can you make the putt?

10. Type of attribution
Wining example
Losing example
Stability
“I was more able than my opponent” (Stable)
“I was unlucky” (Unstable)
“I was less able than my opponent” (Stable)
“We didn't’t have that bit of luck we needed today” (Unstable)
Causality
“I tried really hard” (Internal)
“My opponent was easy to beat” (External)
“I didn't’t try hard enough” (Internal)
“My opponent was impossible to beat” (External)
Control
“I trained really hard for this fight” (Under your control)
“He wasn't’t as fit as I was” (Not under your control)
“I didn't’t train hard enough for this fight” (Under your control)
“He was fitter than I was” (Not under your control)

11. Effect of Motivation on Sports Performance
Positive
Someone who is motivated play, perform and train at an optimal level will increase their performance
Negative
Being over motivated can cause a problem for an athlete
Athletes are often under pressure and therefore need to train more and more

12. Negative Effects of Motivation on Sports Performance
Overtraining – The athlete trains under an excessive training load, which they cannot cope with
Staleness – Inability to maintain a previous performance level
Burnout – When an athlete strives to meet training and competition demands despite repeated unsuccessful attempts, and so tries harder. Can lead to the athlete no longer wishing to participate in the activities they used to enjoy

13. Future Expectations of Success & Failure
Expectations of success and failure are linked to attribution theory
If you attribute stable causes (Skill Level), you are more likely to have expectation of future success
If you attribute to more unstable causes (Luck) you are more likely to have expectations of future failure

14. Developing a Motivational Climate
This is the environment an athlete finds themselves in
The motivational climate will also affect their motivation both positively and negatively
A motivational climate is based on the mastery of tasks, where athletes are praised for the completion of tasks
When an athlete is in an environment where the focus is on punishment of mistakes this could lead to less effort and attribution of lack of ability

15. Developing a Motivational Climate
To develop an effective motivational climate, use the TARGET technique
Tasks – Range of tasks where athletes have to participate and make decision
Authority – Giving athletes authority over monitoring and evaluating their own learning
Reward – Using rewards that are focussed on individual improvement rather than against other competitors
Grouping – Giving athletes the chance to work in groups
Evaluation – Focussing on an individuals effort and improvement
Timing – Timing activities effectively so that they can combine all of the above conditions