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Perceived locus of causality, goal orientations, and perceived competence in school physical education classes
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1994
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Physical ActivityEducational PsychologyEducationPerceived LocusSelf-regulation QuestionnaireAutonomySocial SciencesPsychologyTeacher EducationSelf-efficacy TheoryExercisePhysical EducationPerceived AutonomyAchievement GoalBehavioral SciencesSchool PsychologyMotivationIntrinsic InterestGoal OrientationsAchievement MotivationSelf-regulated Learning
Behavioural regulation varies along a continuum of perceived autonomy, as shown by Ryan & Connell (1989). This study applied the autonomy continuum to school physical education, investigating how perceived autonomy, competence, and goal orientations relate to intrinsic interest in two activities. Eighty‑five 12‑to‑14‑year‑old students completed adapted Self‑Regulation and competence/interest measures for two activities, plus the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire. Results revealed that perceived autonomy and task orientation directly predicted intrinsic interest in both activities, while perceived competence predicted interest only for one activity, indicating activity‑specific motivational differences.
Ryan & Connell (1989) have demonstrated that different types of behavioural regulation can be located on a continuum of perceived autonomy or perceived locus of causality. The present study applied their formulation in the context of school physical education (PE) and examined the relationships of perceived autonomy, perceived competence and goal orientations with intrinsic interest across two PE activities. School students aged 12-14 years (N = 85) completed an adapted version of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire (Ryan & Connell, 1989) and measures of perceived competence and intrinsic interest separately for two PE activities. They also completed the British version of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (Duda, Fox, Biddle & Armstrong, 1992). Students appeared to be differentially motivated for the two activities due to different perceptions of autonomy. Structural equation modelling analysis showed that perceived autonomy and task orientation had direct effects on intrinsic interest for both the activities. Perceived competence, however, was positively associated with intrinsic interest only for one of the activities. The implications of the results for the practice of physical education are discussed.