Application of Achievement Goal Theory in an Urban Youth Tennis Setting

The purpose of this study was to examine the motivational responses of tennis players in relation to their goal orientations and perceptions of the motivational climate. Youngsters completed a survey with tennis-specific measures of goal orientations, motivational climate, attitudes toward tennis, their instructor, their fellow players and sportspersonship behaviors. Results support Nicholls' goal perspective theory. Moderated regression analysis suggested that positive perceptions of a task-involving climate and negative perceptions of an ego-involving motivational climate predicted players' attitudes toward sportpersonship, their instructor, and fellow players. Attitudes toward tennis were predicted by task orientation. Canonical analyses further suggested that perceptions of the climate were most strongly related to attitudes.