Motivation in Sport (choose a specific area to focus on) - Essay Example

The desire to achieve mastery, excellence and accomplishment, motivates individuals to seek competition that provides a fair test for their abilities (Ryska, 2003). Individuals challenge themselves by competing against others, and in doing so are able to recognize and compare their capabilities. It is therefore evident, that a high achiever will strive to achieve goals for the sake of personal growth, that is, intrinsic rewards (Ryska, 2003). According to the cognitive evaluation theory, Ryan (2000) states that athletes who feel that particular rewards will demonstrate their capability, experience an increase in intrinsic motivation, whereas, individuals who feel that particular rewards are used as means of control, will experience a decrease in intrinsic motivation.

Goal setting is also a significant factor in increasing sport motivation, as it improves ones performance by providing encouragement. The reason for this being, that individuals have something to look forward to that must be achieved. Furthermore, the arousal motive, that is, the search for sensation, is also a significant motive for some playing sport. Physical and psychological health has both been shown to benefit from regular participation in physical activities. Health reasons are, however, not the only motives individuals have for taking part in sports.

Motives related to appearance, competition and excitement, fun and enhanced competence, are a few other reasons. It also has been suggested that the motives for participation influence sport participation time and adherence.The motive to succeed is defined as a disposition to expect positive affects to occur in situations perceived as challenging (i.e., situations for which the probability of success is about 50%). (Deci & Ryan, 2000) Individuals, who are strongly motivated to succeed or intrinsically motivated show initiative, are in general future oriented, are carrying out plans related to the future fulfillment of activities, and are willing to be involved with new and interesting activities over a long period of time.

They are often observed to be strongly committed to situations in which their abilities can be trained and exercised. In this endeavor, they seek out optimal challenges that they are not always immediately certain how to solve (Deci & Ryan, 1985). With regard to the performance component of cumulative achievement, the research of Rejeski, W. J. (2002) indicated that positive motivation (e.g., motivation to succeed, intrinsic motivation, action orientation during successful performance) is a prerequisite for good performance (including the athlete's "personal best") in sports.

On the other hand, the motive to avoid failure might be related to negative motivation. This aroused or activated state of motivation is based on an expectation that negative affects will occur in situations perceived as challenging. Negative motivation and cognitive anxiety are both related to states such as worrying about the performance and its consequences, fear or avoidance of failure, and ruminations about failure. These states impede top-level performance in endurance sports (e.g., long-distance running, rowing) and feedback sports (e.g., ball games, karate, and judo; Deci & Ryan, 2000).

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