Influence of motivacional orientation in sports behaviour / attitude in Physical Education classes

Abstract

The purposes of the present study were twofold: (i) to examine the levels of sportsmanship and goal orientations in Physical Education students and (ii) to compare those same levels according to different sexes, ages and sport’s involvement. A sample of 422 students (221 male and 201 female) with a mean age of 13.73±2.46 years (ages comprised between 9 and 21 years old), completed two questionnaires: a) the Questionnaire of Sport’s Values7 and b) a Portuguese version of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire5. In general, the students stated to display behaviors in sport’s settings, according to the basic principles of sportsmanship and fair play. The independent variable that most contributed to a significant demarcation in Physical Education was the student’s age, whilst those with ages between 13 and 15 years stating to not display sportsmanship behaviours and to posses high levels of ego orientation. Overall, we recommend that the sport’s socialization agents should endorse the sportsmanship’s principles deference, at their respective levels and in function of their intervention possibilities⁴.