Why do some kids not like sports?
Why do some kids not like sports? Some students actively participate in physical education classes, while others try to get exempted from them. Why do some students enjoy physical activity while others don't?
Deci and Ryan (1985, 2002) proposed the self-determination model to explain what motivates people to engage in activities. The model suggests that individuals seek to increase their potential and satisfy three psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and social affiliation.
So, why do some kids not like sports? There are three main types of motivation - intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation.
At one end of the continuum, we find intrinsic motivation. Activities that are performed for the self-interest they present and for the satisfaction and pleasure that flow from them inherently motivate individuals. The concept of intrinsic motivation closely resembles the concept of flow, where the individual becomes fully immersed in an activity and experiences optimal activation.
On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is the type of motivation that comes from external factors such as rewards, trophies, or recognition. This type of motivation is common in physical education and sports, even though intrinsic motivation is also present.
Finally, at the other end of the continuum, we find motivation, which is defined as the absence of any motivation in the individual.
Self-determination theory considers the need for competence as one of the three essential nutrients for self-determined motivation. It is an innate need to interact effectively with one's social environment and achieve the desired performance, in order to master the environment.
The self determination model
The need for autonomy is the need to feel at the base of one's actions and to be able to make choices among several actions. It is the perception of being the source of one's behavior.
The third basic psychological need refers to the need for social belonging, which people feel the need to be recognized by a group and to feel a part of it. This innate and universal need is what drives people to create social bonds.
The self-determination model and the hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation postulate that students come to physical education classes with unique expectations and needs that lead to various reasons for engaging or not.
Some students, driven by intrinsic motivation, participate in the activity itself and the pleasure they derive from it. For others, extrinsic motivation dominates. They get involved because they perceive the physical education class as important, for example, for health, fitness, or social relationships.
Other students participate because they feel compelled to do so and/or because of external pressures they perceive. Finally, some students exhibit amotivation that prevents them from engaging.
This multidimensional and composite conception of motivation is accompanied by a dynamic vision. Thus, student motivation can quickly shift one way or the other on the motivational continuum depending on the situation and the presence or absence of specific contextual and/or personal factors.
Teachers can benefit from understanding the possibility of combining intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. In physical education, research suggests that the teacher's environment can affect student motivation. A positive environment that meets students' skill, autonomy, and social affiliation needs can encourage positive motivation and discourage external regulation and motivation. Teachers should recognize that they can use various strategies to promote positive motivation and prevent negative phenomena.
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Next read: https://mentalaccelerator.com/resource/grit/get-out-of-your-comfort-zone