❌Achievement Motivation

Question 1

What is achievement motivation?

Answer 1

The tendency to approach or avoid competitive situations.

Summed up as the drive to succeed minus the fear of failure.

Question 2

What did Atkinson identify?

Answer 2

Two personality dimensions.

Question 3

What did Atkinson suggest?

Answer 3

In demanding situations performers will exhibit either NACH or NAF characteristics.
This is based on both their personality and the situational factors in hand.

Question 4

What are the two personalities?

Answer 4

1 - demonstrated by those who keep on trying - said to display approach behaviour
2 - demonstrated by those who seek safe and secure options - said to display avoidance behaviours

Question 5

What is a NACH?

Answer 5

The need to achieve; approach behaviour

Question 5

What’s an example of a NACH personality?

Answer 5

A football player who volunteers to take a penalty in a penalty shoot-out at the end of the game even though there is a risk of missing the penalty and letting the team down.

Question 6

What are the characteristics of a NACH?

Answer 6

Task persistence 
Seek challenge 
Take risks 
Approach behaviour 
Enjoy evaluation 
Not afraid to fail 
Value feedback 
Attribute success internally 
Confident 
Want to improve, be the best

Question 8

What is a NAF?

Answer 8

The need to avoid failure; avoidance behaviour

Question 9

What does attributing success internally mean?

Answer 9

Giving a reason for success that is due to the responsibility of the player.

Question 10

What are the characteristics of a NAF?

Answer 10

Avoidance behaviour 
Dislike feedback 
Take easy option 
Give up easily 
Lack confidence 
Avoid 50/50 challenge 
Attributes failure internally

Question 11

What does the level of achievement motivation shown depend on?

Answer 11

The interaction of personality and situation.

Question 11

What does interaction mean?

Answer 11

The combination of the situational and personality factors that decide the level of achievement motivation.

Question 12

How does personality affect achievement motivation?

Answer 12

Some performers will have the need to achieve, others will have the need to avoid failure.
This personality can be innate or developed and those with the trait of approaching competition will try hard in most situations.

Question 14

How does the situation affect achievement motivation?

Answer 14

The performer has to gauge the probability of success in the task and incentive gained from that success.

Question 15

What’s an example of the situation affecting achievement motivation?

Answer 15

A task that is easy will probably be completed successfully but will offer little incentive value or pride. The success is given, but no sense of pride is achieved - NAF

However, a task that is difficult, such as a high board dive, may not be completed successfully. If it is there is a lot of pride and satisfaction to be gained - NACH.

Question 16

What might coaches do to develop approach behaviour in players?

Answer 16

Reinforcement
Attribute success internally 
Allowing success 
Improving confidence 
Goal setting
Highlight successful role models that have comparable characteristics

Question 17

What is meant by reinforcement?

Answer 17

The coach should offer praise and rewards to players who do well or achieve their goals, so that the players keep the desire to do well in the future, thus promoting task persistence.
Raises their confidence

Question 18

What is meant by attribute success internally?

Answer 18

The coach should tell the player that any success achieved was down to something for which the player has responsibility.
This could be the amount of effort the player put into winning the game or the good technique shown when executing skills.

Question 19

What is meant by allowing success?

Answer 19

To encourage the belief in success and improve confidence, the coach could set tasks and training drills that can be accomplished with a little effort in the early development of the player and perhaps in the early part of training sessions.

Question 20

What is meant by improving confidence?

Answer 20

Using strategies to improve confidence, will develop the need to achieve approach.

Question 21

What is meant by goal setting?

Answer 21

Coaches and players should set goals that are achievable with an amount of effort. This means that there is satisfaction to be gained from achieving the goal.
Once a goal is reached, another challenge can be set so that the performer always has a realistic target to aim for.
Goals set should just concern winning or the outcome. This is because, even in defeat, a narrow loss or second place could involve an improved performance or technique when the performer reaches a process goal.

Question 22

What does achievement goal theory suggest?

Answer 22

That motivation and task persistence depend on the type of goals set by the performer and how they measure success.

Question 23

What goals can be set by an individual in specific situations?

Answer 23

Outcome-orientated goals

Task-orientated goals

Question 24

What are outcome-orientated goals?

Answer 24

Set with the specific aim to beat and show superiority over others, for example to win the 5000 metre race.
It doesn’t matter how the result was achieved as long as the goal is reached.

Question 25

What are the pros/cons of outcome-orientated goals?

Answer 25

If the performer succeeds then pride, satisfaction and motivation is maintained.
However, if the performer fails to get the result, then confidence can be lowered.

Question 26

What are task-orientated goals?

Answer 26

The aim is to master a skill or improve your own performance. The process is more important than the outcome. So confidence and motivation is maintained.

Question 27

How do you generate approach behaviours?

Answer 27

Ensure success by setting achievable goals
Raise confidence by giving positive reinforcement, praise and rewards
Highlight successful role models that have comparable characteristics
Credit internal reasons, e.g. ability for success