Pupils’ Perceptions of Teacher Behaviours that Predict Motivational Climate in Physical Education Lessons

Abstract

Achievement motivation research in PE settings has illustrated that teachers play a significant role in shaping pupils’ perceptions of the motivational climate within PE lessons. Specifically, teachers are in a position to manipulate Epstein’s (1989) TARGET structures (task, authority, recognition, grouping, evaluation and time) which can foster either a mastery-oriented or a performance-oriented motivational climate and consequently, have a profound influence over pupil’s motivational and affective responses to PE. The purpose of this study was primarily to investigate pupils’ perceptions of the individual TARGET structures to determine whether they all predict a perceived mastery climate. A secondary aim was to investigate whether the perception of one structure was more dominant in predicting a mastery climate in PE than perceptions of other structures. Two hundred male and female year 9-11 pupils aged between 13 and 16 years completed two PE-specific questionnaires to assess their perceptions of TARGET and their perceptions of the motivational climate. Multiple regression analysis revealed that perceptions of recognition-evaluation and task were significant predictors of a perceived mastery motivational climate in PE lessons, with perceptions of recognition-evaluation being the most dominant predictor. These findings have valuable implications for PE teachers and practitioners in relation to how and why they manipulate and emphasise TARGET structures, as effective teaching should focus on optimising perceptions of a mastery motivational climate to ultimately enhance pupils’ motivation and learning in PE.