Influences on Sport Motivation and Performance

The provided document is a comprehensive study on the factors influencing sport motivation and performance in early career sports participants. It investigates the role of parental, peer, and coach support in shaping athletes' motivation and performance outcomes. The research aims to understand the optimal development environments within elite sports settings, highlighting the importance of creating supportive climates for athlete growth and success.

Sport psychology

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1 - FAMILY INFLUENCES ON ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT......................................1
PART 2............................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

PART 1 - FAMILY INFLUENCES ON ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT
From past, family are the basic part of society and their influence starts from childhood to
the adulthood. Under this report how family influences child’s development to be best at
athletics are discussed. The initial attachment, cognition and future behaviour construct different
qualities that are required in sports by the children. The care and attachment provided by the
parents is what makes child attachment with its coach (Telljohann, Symons and Pateman, 2015).
Many researchers have acknowledged that there is significant influence created by the father on
the athlete’s sports perception. However, some studies show that child’s sports involvement is
due to indication of the mother’s physical activity. Family can influence the children in positive
and negative ways by impacting on their belief and values.
As seen in the video clip of the Romeao family, both the parents have provided positive
environment to Venus and Romeo so that they can be trained in a better way. They foster and
support participation in sports. It reduces their anxiety level and provides achievement,
motivation, self-esteem and sense of competence for their best development. The emotional
assistance provided by the family aids in significant amount of influence to achieve their goals.
Though as stated in the video that these children's have started practising from their childhood so
they have not received enough time for the social gathering. In order to be the member of the
2012, Olympics, Venus requires more practise and training (Ryan, Huta and Deci, 2013). She is
continuously getting training for 28 hrs. per week but still lack in her abilities due to her age.
They are taking care about the fun, enjoyment and completely support their children so that they
can be part of the Olympic games. As described by the Sudani and Budzyńska, (2014), there are
two types of the motivational climate; performance and mastery climate. The climate provided
by the Romeao’s family is that of mastery which includes the personal practice in order to
achieve goals. It provides them best-improvement and learning environment that enhances their
ability and capability to perform at event. In this, more authorities are provided in the hands of
the child and there is no controlling of the parents over them. Moreover, they provide the
rewards to the children for learning, improvement in their abilities and personal progress. Tony
also cares about the diet, nutrition, exercise and vitamin level of their children so they can
facilitate development and improvement in other extra-curricular activities. Here two theories
has been discussed, the self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2010) and Eccles expectancy
value theory (Eccles et al., 2004).
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Deci and Ryan (2010) have explained the motivation and personality development
through Self-Determination Theory which concentrate about support through the natural
tendencies so that person can act in more trenchant and healthy way. The basic psychological
needs for healthy development and functioning is related to self-reliance, ability and relatedness
(Papaioannou and Hackfort, 2014). Romeao’s family is providing best environment where both
the children can take their own decision. They are not forcing them for any things and are
supporting them in all possible ways. Moreover, their support can also be seen through the
abiding values, care, curiosity and interest they show when Venus and Romeao participate in
events.
There is another theory that focus on parental socialization influence on children’s
motivation for achieving goals in the Athletics, that is Eccles expectancy-value theory (Eccles et
al., 2004). They play main role in enhancing the ability and better outcomes of those experiences
relationship based on belief. Further, it can be reflected through the expectancies, gender
stereotypes and values. This things helps to develop child's own self-belief by the experience
provided by elders and the reviews they receive from them.
Psychological focus provided by the Cote for motivation, through the Development
Model of Sports Participation. Under this model, it is subdivided into three phases, sampling-
phase which comprise of (6-12 years), specialising-phase (13-15 years) and investment phase
(16+ years) (Bailey, et al., 2010). The first one based on the age groups of the children which are
considered as infant, they are provided rights or opportunity so that they can chose their sports
type. For them it should act as the part of excitement and fun. It is the part where they can be
fundamentally build their skills and experiences in sports. In second phase, which is about
specialization starting from the age of 13-15 years. At this age, they are required to focus on the
particular sports leaving their fun and enjoyment to sport engagement. The last phase is about
investment which is above the 16+years. Here they develop the strategies, competitiveness and
skill in specific sports.
However, this development model is not true for the Romeao's family as Venus is too
small and needs to participate in the 2012 Olympics. Due to her family’s deliberate support and
intrinsic motivation she and her brother have focused on the particular sports that is gymnastic
and boxing. They have completed these stages at very earlier age due to their family support and
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guidance. If they have adopted above theory then her and her brother would have taken longer
time period to be part of the Olympic games held in 2012. Till they completely understand their
aim it can be that many people would have achieved those position.
Moreover, as founded by the McCarthy, Jones and Clark-Carter (2008), most of the
children enjoy the sports when their parents have positive involvement. Additionally, it provides
the better results and increases their sporting experience. As it can be seen from the clip that
Tony Romeao's has provided self-esteem, motivation and social skills to both the students. They
are also taking care that their feelings should not get affected by any social conflicts or issues. It
has provided them skills that facilitate and would keep them motivated at every stage of life. It
will increase their self-awareness and ability to build their own life-skills. Tony and his wife, can
assist the in skill-development by encouraging them to view over their progress and skills they
are receiving from the sports. Their support has provided them to achieve the global
opportunities at such little age. Venus is performing the acrobats and gymnastics that are not
easily performed by many girls elder then Venus or having more age and training then her.
As per the study of Mills, Butt, Maynard and Harwood (2012), who have carried out the
semi-structured interviews in order to identify influential factors that influences the children
from coaches of the football players. The outcomes mentioned by them shows that if parents
have support and positive correlation then their progress and professional level increases. The
assistance provided by the Tony has given them emotional and tangible support. Their role is
acknowledged by many coaches but they also recommend that it should not overpower them.
This is due to the reason that if the child get overpower or under ego than it can affect the
sporting development of the child (Mills, Butt, Maynard and Harwood, 2014).
In order to maintain the full support to the children parents should follow these steps
which provides them motivation in only positive ways. Tony should encourage his children to
develop their own self-awareness and skills so that they can face the challenges without the
physical presence of the parents. Such activities will assist them to increase and enhance their
self-awareness, confidence and facilitate to transfer the such capabilities and skills to different
areas of life. The guidance provided by the coaches must be followed else the child can get
confused, here Tony is the couch of the Romeo but Venus has different couches and she gets
training from them only. Her father is only keeping care of her diet and nutrients level. Other
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complete coaching is provided by the coaches (McCarthy, Allen and Jones, 2013). The parents
are providing the emotional and tangible support which reassure them that there is backside
support and if they ever-fall there is someone for taking their care. The are providing them open
environment so that they can get professional through their own ways. All these activities can
promote and provide the effective environment for the children's athletic development.
PART 2
There are various instruments that can be used to research family which creates
influences on athletic development. There are two author perspective can be used for evaluation,
these are MacNamara et al. (2010) and Keegan et al. (2009) are stated below which are based on
the different aspects of sport psychology. Although both researchers have carried out their
researches using various things in order to compile their data they have used
qualitative methods.
The MacNamara et al. (2010) have carried out the umbrella theme which was further
subcategories into higher order themes. Along with this, there were various other theories that
have been identified under this. However, the theory carried out by the Keegan et al., (2009) was
qualitative investigation where focus on the particular groups was provided. There is great
differences between the focus group interviews and individual interviews which are carried out
by both the authors in order to accomplish their research. MacNamara et al.’s (2010) has carried
out the retrospective interviews where they identified about the 10 Psychological Characteristics
of Developing Excellences (PCDEs) and stages for the development of the athletes career's. In
the above research methods the data is collected is based on the preciously recorded eye-tracking
data which shows the difference in the age groups and the exposure. Along with this, they are
unaware about the actual conditions and exposure. However, the approach made by the Keegan
et al., (2009, p. 366) was ‘Parent-Initiated Motivational Climate Questionnaire - 2’ (PIMCQ-2)
and have evaluated in the self-determining theory. As it is more autonomous, self-determined
and associated with the positive experience so cannot be used for the proper analysing.
Based on the MacNamara et al.’s (2010) whose study is based on the focus group
interviews are based on the common interest of the people. For this contestant were 24 athletes
taken from different team-sports and individual-sports. All contestant were between the ages 25
and 26 and were at the elite level in which 12 females and 12 males are there. Interview method
had some weakness that it is time-consuming. It took over 1 hours and 1.5 hour to conduct single
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information. They are more concerned about the research question and the problems that have
originated in more ambiguous or hypothetical way. Further, under this research it is needed to
solidified. Using the approach the author can easily focus and guide the large groups of people so
that they can change their experience, ideas and feelings. Dynamic activities of the focus group
can be carried out and the researcher's own conclusions from the participation dialogue and non
verbal clues. Other than this, the new question or lines of the thesis/research can be created from
the clients conservation.
In country to this the approach used by the Keegan et al., (2009) was the individual based
interviews which are appropriate for the topics which could be sensitive to the people or there is
lack in the sampling size or the participants or sample to conduct a group interview. They have
carried out in the focus group approach. The methods used by the researchers can be no specific
questions and begins with specific-questions, then explores the participant’s-tangents of thought
or it can be the detailed-interview guide. Research conducted by Keegan et al., (2009)
individuals concerned were 40 children in which 19 females and 21 males from more than 17
sports. To gain the results they carried out the semi
structured format to analyze and identify the roles of coaches, parents and peers in
influencing athletic motivation. Using the method researchers get benefits from the type of
research carried out and are able to gathered more information about the topic through the
observation of the verbal-and-nonverbal behaviour.
The difference can be seen in the below table:
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Criteria Depth Interview Focus groups
Discovering the innovative
information
High High
Degree of structure High Medium
Inquiring of individual
respondents
Low High
Obtaining the sensitive
information
High Low
Interpretation bias Relatively low relatively high.
Overall usefulness High Low
The main advantages group participants are various thinking level of the people can be
gathered. As the question are for the selecting option so requires less time. The disadvantages
lies as it is more logistical support where finding the venue and the time period to carry out the
research is necessary. Sometimes there are chances where information cannot be gathered by the
researchers. MacNamara and Collins (2011) as per their finding from the examining
environmental and stage-related differences the outcomes can be vague as no information on the
people selected are provided. Further, age, gender, areas, location are not mentioned.
The advantages of the in-depth interviews is that the information is more sensitive topic.
It is less logistical preparation based and generate more detailed information. Its disadvantage
lies that it can be more expensive and consumes more time and transportation cost. However, it
can be carried out at any place. Keegan et al., (2009), Motivational climate and parental
involvement have focused on the particular section and provides the clear information for the
selected person. Using their approach easily clear guidance can be provided about the athletics.
I believe that both researchers have used the for the best to identify the outcomes.
However, in my opinion MacNamara et al 2010 have conducted the appropriate approach as
interview provide the best results as appropriate answer.
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