“Success and failure are not concrete events. They are psychological states consequent on the perception of reaching or not reaching goals” (Maehr & Nicholls, 1980. p. 228). The quality of an athlete’s sporting experience is shaped by how success is defined for them, as well their personal judgments about their capabilities (Duda, 1993). Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) defines that people are motivated by a desire to feel competent; suggesting that individuals can define competence and success in different ways – mainly ego and task orientations.(Nicholls, 1984; 1989)
Ego orientation is defined by a focus on demonstrating high ability and the avoidance of failure. Individuals who are ego oriented strive to look good and feel valued by others, often using comparisons with others as a way to evaluate their own performance. On the other hand, task orientation is defined by a focus on mastering the challenge of the task and developing skills. Those who are task oriented seek to learn and improve, regardless of how they compare to others.
AGT has been widely researched in physical education and sport settings over the past three decades (see Duda, 2001 for a review). The theory has primarily been used as a tool to understand how different achievement goals can influence athletes’ behaviours and perceptions during practice and competition.
It is important to note that ego and task orientations are not mutually exclusive, and that individuals can fluctuate between the two in different situations. For example, an athlete may enter a competition with a task orientation but as the pressure of the event increases, they may move towards an ego orientation.
It has been proposed that people adopt different achievement goals depending on the situation they are in and the task they are trying to complete (Ames, 1992). For example, an athlete who is practising alone may be more likely to adopt a task orientation as their main goal, whereas an athlete competing in front of a large crowd may be more likely to focus on avoiding failure (ego orientation).
Research demonstrates that task- and ego-orientations provide motivation benefits either separately or combined. In order to keep athletes interested in sports, Duda (1993) suggests that success must indicate both remarkable skill as well as the athlete’s own personal growth. An achievement goal orientation is when an athlete constantly strives to be the best.
There are different types of achievement goals, but they all share the commonality of wanting to improve and be the best. The three main types of achievement goals are performance-approach goals, performance-avoidance goals, and work-avoidance goals (Duda & Whitehead, 1998).
A performance-approach goal is when an athlete wants to do better than their previous performances and/or maintain their current level of performance. This type of goal is often associated with a desire to win. A performance-avoidance goal is when an athlete wants to avoid doing worse than their previous performances or others’ performances. This type of goal is often associated with a fear of losing. A work-avoidance goal is when an athlete just wants to do the bare minimum and avoid putting in any extra effort.
Achievement goals are important because they can affect an athlete’s motivation, performance, and satisfaction with their results (Harwood, Spratt, & Toner, 2000).
When athletes have a performance-approach goal orientation, they tend to be more motivated and have higher levels of sportspersonship than those with a performance-avoidance goal orientation (Duda & Whitehead, 1998). They are also more likely to persist in the face of failure and have greater feelings of self-efficacy and control (Duda & Whitehead, 1998; Harwood et al., 2000).
Athletes with a performance-avoidance goal orientation tend to be more anxious and have lower levels of sportspersonship than those with a performance-approach goal orientation (Duda & Whitehead, 1998). They are also more likely to quit in the face of failure and have lower feelings of self-efficacy and control (Duda & Whitehead, 1998; Harwood et al., 2000). Work-avoidance goals are associated with the lowest level of motivation and satisfaction with results (Harwood et al., 2000).
It is important for athletes to have achievement goals because they can affect an athlete’s motivation, performance, and satisfaction with their results. Athletes with a performance-approach goal orientation tend to be more motivated and have higher levels of sportspersonship than those with a performance-avoidance goal orientation. They are also more likely to persist in the face of failure and have greater feelings of self-efficacy and control. Work-avoidance goals are associated with the lowest level of motivation and satisfaction with results.
For athletes, it is important to have achievement goals in order to be successful. These goals can help them stay motivated and improve their performance. Having a performance-approach goal orientation is the best way to ensure success as an athlete.
Writing this essay to support the point that “An athlete’s motivation should always be to aim to be the best.” After outlining important points of AGT, which include ego and task orientations, approach and avoidance goals, motivational climates, and TARGET guidelines.
After this, I will provide evidence from empirical studies that show how important these are for athletes’ motivation. Finally, I will discuss the implications of this research and some possible ways to further improve athlete motivation.
Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) posits that an athlete’s motivation is determined by their achievement goals, which are defined as “end states that individuals strive to achieve in sport or other domains” (Weinberg & Gould, 2015, p. 4). There are two main types of achievement goals: ego orientation and task orientation. Ego orientation occurs when an individual focuses on demonstrating their ability and superiority over others, whereas task orientation occurs when an individual focuses on developing their skills and improving their performance.
AGT also posits that there are two types of achievement goals: approach and avoidance. Approach goals are defined as “goals that involve striving to attain a positive outcome” (Weinberg & Gould, 2015, p. 4). Avoidance goals, on the other hand, are defined as “goals that involve trying to avoid a negative outcome” (Weinberg & Gould, 2015, p. 4).
There is evidence to suggest that ego orientation and avoidance goals are associated with lower levels of motivation and performance, while task orientation and approach goals are associated with higher levels of motivation and performance (Weinberg & Gould, 2015).
Motivational climate is another important concept in AGT. Motivational climate is defined as “the perceivable social environment that communicates cues about what it means to succeed or fail in the task at hand” (Weinberg & Gould, 2015, p. 5). There are two types of motivational climates: task-involving and ego-involving. Task-involving climates are those that focus on the development of skills and improvement of performance, while ego-involving climates are those that focus on demonstrating ability and superiority over others.
There is evidence to suggest that task-involving climates are associated with higher levels of motivation and performance, while ego-involving climates are associated with lower levels of motivation and performance (Weinberg & Gould, 2015).
Finally, the TARGET model is a set of guidelines that are designed to help create task-involving climates and promote athlete motivation. The TARGET model stands for Task orientation, Autonomy, Recognition of effort, Group cohesiveness, Enjoyment, and Training structure and focus (Weinberg & Gould, 2015).