Pupilsí Affective Responses in Physical Education Classes: the Association of Implicit Theories of the Nature of Ability and Achievement Goals

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that the belief systems people construct have importantimplications for the way they respond emotionally to achievement events. Socialcognitive theories of motivation posit that subjective or implicit theories of the nature ofability (intelligence) interrelate with achievement goals and perceived ability ingenerating differential affective responses in achievement contexts. Specifically, achievementgoals are hypothesized to mediate the effects of implicit theories of ability onaffective responses. Previous research has examined the interrelations between implicittheories of ability and achievement goals in the sport domain. However, little is knownabout direct versus indirect effects of implicit theories of ability on affective responsesin the context of school physical education. By means of a Norwegian sample of 217ninth grade pupils the predictive value of implicit theories of ability and achievementgoals on affective responses in PE was examined. Hierarchical and moderatedregression analyses showed that, irrespective of variations in perceived competence, implicittheories of ability were direct precursors of anxiety and satisfaction in PE. Morespecifically, regardless of differences in perceived ability, endorsing a conception ofability in PE as stable and innate directly gave rise to increased levels of anxiety andreduced satisfaction in PE. Conceiving of ability as learning induced was directlyfacilitative of satisfaction in PE, only modestly mediated by a task-oriented achievementgoal. The findings give weight to implicit theories of ability as direct antecedents ofpositive and negative affective responsesin physical education.

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