Theorized by Nicholls (1984), achievement goal theory describes the interaction of one’s perceived ability and two goal orientations, known as “task” and “ego,” that an athlete employs when setting goals. These goal orientations are what athletes employ when playing their sport. The result of this interaction is an athlete’s achievement behavior. Previous research has examined this theory extensively (Newton & Duda, 1999; Chin, Khoo, & Low, 2012; Smoll, Smith, & Cumming, 2007; White & Zellner, 1996). However, few studies have solely looked at factors that predict one’s achievement goal orientations. The purpose of this study is to address which demographic variables (Division, gender, and year in school) as well as the theoretical constructs of achievement goal theory (perceived competence and motivational climate) have the most influence in understanding an athlete’s achievement goal orientations. Furthermore, this study will isolate each demographic variable and break it down into substrates (i.e. gender: male and female) to see if there were differences between them regarding the athlete’s achievement goal orientations. Participants include 143 undergraduate students from universities across the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Results of the study indicated that mastery climate and Division type scores had an impact on an athlete’s task score (r = .444, p =.001, r = .259, p =.048), while Division type was the sole predictor of an athlete’s ego scores (r = -.340, p < .05). Analysis of the demographic variables displayed a difference between Division type and ego scores (T (141) = 2.155, p = .034, d= .36) such that Division I (M= 2.91) had higher ego scores compared to Division III (M= 2.62).
INDEX WORDS: sport psychology, motivation, achievement goal theory
","abstract_html":"<p>Theorized by Nicholls (1984), achievement goal theory describes the interaction of one’s perceived ability and two goal orientations, known as “task” and “ego,” that an athlete employs when setting goals. These goal orientations are what athletes employ when playing their sport. The result of this interaction is an athlete’s achievement behavior. Previous research has examined this theory extensively (Newton & Duda, 1999; Chin, Khoo, & Low, 2012; Smoll, Smith, & Cumming, 2007; White & Zellner, 1996). However, few studies have solely looked at factors that predict one’s achievement goal orientations. The purpose of this study is to address which demographic variables (Division, gender, and year in school) as well as the theoretical constructs of achievement goal theory (perceived competence and motivational climate) have the most influence in understanding an athlete’s achievement goal orientations. Furthermore, this study will isolate each demographic variable and break it down into substrates (i.e. gender: male and female) to see if there were differences between them regarding the athlete’s achievement goal orientations. Participants include 143 undergraduate students from universities across the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Results of the study indicated that mastery climate and Division type scores had an impact on an athlete’s task score (<em>r </em>= .444, <em>p</em> =.001, <em>r </em>= .259, <em>p</em> =.048), while Division type was the sole predictor of an athlete’s ego scores (<em>r </em>= -.340, <em>p </em>< .05). Analysis of the demographic variables displayed a difference between Division type and ego scores (<em>T </em>(141) = 2.155, <em>p </em>= .034, <em>d</em>= .36) such that Division I (<em>M</em>= 2.91) had higher ego scores compared to Division III (<em>M</em>= 2.62).</p> <p>INDEX WORDS: sport psychology, motivation, achievement goal theory</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lachman, Matthew"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)","degree_level":"Thesis (open access)","degree_discipline":"Department of Health and Kinesiology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Daniel Czech","Jody Langdon"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:00Z","subjects":["ETD","sport psychology","motivation","achievement goal theory","Other Kinesiology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1134","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Daniel Czech","Jody Langdon"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lachman, Matthew"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-07-07T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Health and Kinesiology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis (open access)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","sport psychology","motivation","achievement goal theory","Other Kinesiology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1134"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Theorized by Nicholls (1984), achievement goal theory describes the interaction of one’s perceived ability and two goal orientations, known as “task” and “ego,” that an athlete employs when setting goals. These goal orientations are what athletes employ when playing their sport. The result of this interaction is an athlete’s achievement behavior. Previous research has examined this theory extensively (Newton & Duda, 1999; Chin, Khoo, & Low, 2012; Smoll, Smith, & Cumming, 2007; White & Zellner, 1996). However, few studies have solely looked at factors that predict one’s achievement goal orientations. The purpose of this study is to address which demographic variables (Division, gender, and year in school) as well as the theoretical constructs of achievement goal theory (perceived competence and motivational climate) have the most influence in understanding an athlete’s achievement goal orientations. Furthermore, this study will isolate each demographic variable and break it down into substrates (i.e. gender: male and female) to see if there were differences between them regarding the athlete’s achievement goal orientations. Participants include 143 undergraduate students from universities across the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Results of the study indicated that mastery climate and Division type scores had an impact on an athlete’s task score (r = .444, p =.001, r = .259, p =.048), while Division type was the sole predictor of an athlete’s ego scores (r = -.340, p < .05). Analysis of the demographic variables displayed a difference between Division type and ego scores (T (141) = 2.155, p = .034, d= .36) such that Division I (M= 2.91) had higher ego scores compared to Division III (M= 2.62).
INDEX WORDS: sport psychology, motivation, achievement goal theory
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Antecedents of Athletes’ Achievement Goal Orientations"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Daniel Czech","Jody Langdon"],"dc:creator":["Lachman, Matthew"],"dc:date.available":["2014-07-07T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Theorized by Nicholls (1984), achievement goal theory describes the interaction of one’s perceived ability and two goal orientations, known as “task” and “ego,” that an athlete employs when setting goals. These goal orientations are what athletes employ when playing their sport. The result of this interaction is an athlete’s achievement behavior. Previous research has examined this theory extensively (Newton & Duda, 1999; Chin, Khoo, & Low, 2012; Smoll, Smith, & Cumming, 2007; White & Zellner, 1996). However, few studies have solely looked at factors that predict one’s achievement goal orientations. The purpose of this study is to address which demographic variables (Division, gender, and year in school) as well as the theoretical constructs of achievement goal theory (perceived competence and motivational climate) have the most influence in understanding an athlete’s achievement goal orientations. Furthermore, this study will isolate each demographic variable and break it down into substrates (i.e. gender: male and female) to see if there were differences between them regarding the athlete’s achievement goal orientations. Participants include 143 undergraduate students from universities across the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Results of the study indicated that mastery climate and Division type scores had an impact on an athlete’s task score (r = .444, p =.001, r = .259, p =.048), while Division type was the sole predictor of an athlete’s ego scores (r = -.340, p < .05). Analysis of the demographic variables displayed a difference between Division type and ego scores (T (141) = 2.155, p = .034, d= .36) such that Division I (M= 2.91) had higher ego scores compared to Division III (M= 2.62).
INDEX WORDS: sport psychology, motivation, achievement goal theory
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1134"],"dc:subject":["ETD","sport psychology","motivation","achievement goal theory","Other Kinesiology"],"dc:title":["Antecedents of Athletes’ Achievement Goal Orientations"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Health and Kinesiology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:00Z"}