Impact of motivational climate on students' behaviors and perceptions in a physical education setting

Goal theory asserts that a task-involved climate is associated with adaptive behavior patterns such as persisting in practice. Conversely, individuals in an ego-oriented climate are deemed at risk for maladaptive behaviors when they experience failure or encounter difficulty performing a task. Results of previous research have relied primarily on self-report data rather than analysis of overt behavior. This study investigated differences in students' practice behaviors and perceptions of the motivational climate in physical education classes manipulated to be task or ego involved. Results based on 109 seventh- and eighth-grade students indicated that students perceived the conditions differently. Student behavior was assessed by coding practice trials from videotapes of the classes. Individuals in the task-involved condition completed a greater number of practice trials at a difficult level than those in the ego-involved condition.