Differences between Junior and Senior High School Students Concerning Intrinsic – Extrinsic Motivation in the Contextual Level, Goal Orientations, Motivational Climate and Perceived Athletic Ability in Greek Athletic Classes

Nikolaos Digelidis, Zafiroula Kotsaki, & Athanasios Papaioannou

Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece

Abstract

Recent studies revealed age-group differences in Greek children’s motivation in Physical Education classes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the differences between junior and senior high school students concerning intrinsic – extrinsic motivation, goal orientations and self-perceptions in Greek Athletic Classes. A hundred and ninety-one junior and senior High School students participated in this study (114 boys and 77 girls), which was carried out by means of questionnaires. All the participants were students in Greek Athletic Classes of Junior High School (12-15 years old) and Senior High School (16-18 years old) and they did not attend typical PE classes. Τhe internal consistency of the subscales was at an acceptable level (α>.60). A 2-way ANOVA with two independent factors (sex, school level) was applied. Results showed that there were statistically significant differences between boys and girls concerning lesson satisfaction, enjoyment, effort, pressure, amotivation and ego/competitive climate (p< .05). Boys had higher scores when compared with girls. Results also showed that there were statistically significant differences between junior and senior High School student-athletes concerning intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, task orientation, task involving climate, autonomy supporting climate, ego/competitive climate and social relatedness supporting climate (p< .05). Senior high school students had lower scores compared with junior students. There weren’t any statistically significant gender or school level differences concerning extrinsic motivation, perceived athletic ability and ego orientation. Results are discussed according to the theory of goal orientations (Nicholls, 1989) and compared with recent studies in Greece with students following typical PE classes.

Key words: Young athletes, intrinsic – extrinsic motivation, goal orientations, motivational climate, athletic ability