Correlates of achievement goal orientations in physical activity: A systematic review of research

Abstract

There has been a plethora of studies in the past decade investigating task and ego 2 achievement goal orientations in physical activity settings and how they might be 3 associated with various cognitive, affective and behavioural variables. Although 4 comprehensive narrative reviews of the field exist, no systematic review has been 5 reported except one meta-analysis on only goals and affect. The present paper, therefore, 6 reports a systematic review of 10 correlates of achievement goal orientations across 98 7 studies and 110 independent samples (total N=21,076). Studies are invariably cross-8 sectional, leading to an inability to conclude causal effects, and are biased towards young 9 people. Frequencies and effect size calculations show associations of varying magnitude 10 between a task orientation and a). beliefs that effort produces success (positive 11 association: +), b). motives of skill development and team membership (+), c). beliefs that 12 the purpose of sport/PE is for fostering mastery, fitness, and self-esteem (+), d). perceptions of competence (+), e). positive affect (+), f). negative affect (negative 14 association: -), g). parental task orientation (+), and h). various measures or markers of 15 behaviour (+). Associations of varying magnitude were found between an ego orientation 16 and a). beliefs that possessing ability produces success (+), b). motives of 17 status/recognition and competition (+), c). beliefs that the purpose of sport/PE is for social 18 status (+), d). perceptions of competence (+), e). unsportspersonlike attitudes, 19 endorsement of intentionally aggressive sport acts, and the display of aggressive 20 behaviours in sport (+), and f). parental ego orientation (+).