Testing the associations between climbers’ characteristics and motivations with various levels of self-determination

ABSTRACT

This study examined the association between rock climbers’ differences and SDT motivations. Past studies have investigated how the skills, experiences, and genders of individuals participating in adventure recreation link with their preferred motives in adventure recreation. Using SDT as the theoretical framework, motivation indicates the extent climbers internalized the values of rock climbing. 486 climbers with various skill and experience levels participated in this study. The model testing partly supported that skills and experiences were positively associated with intrinsic and identified motivations but were negatively associated with extrinsic motivation. The findings not only enrich the understanding of motivations of AR but provide support that a diverse range of participants can benefit from AR experiences through the concept of self-determination.

RÉSUMÉ

Cette étude a examiné l’association entre les différences des grimpeurs et les motivations de la théorie de l’autodétermination (TAD). Des études antérieures ont examiné le lien entre les compétences, les expériences et le genre des participants à des aventures récréatives, et leurs principales sources de motivation envers le loisir d’aventure. En se servant du cadre théorique de la TAD, la motivation indique la mesure dans laquelle les grimpeurs intériorisent les valeurs de l’escalade. 486 grimpeurs possédant divers niveaux de compétence et d’expérience ont participé à cette étude. Les essais effectués selon ce modèle ont en partie confirmé que les compétences et les expériences étaient positivement associées aux motivations intrinsèques et identifiées, mais négativement à la motivation extrinsèque. Les résultats permettent non seulement de mieux comprendre les motivations du loisir d’aventure, mais ils renforcent aussi l’observation qu’un large éventail de participants peut tirer profit d’expériences de loisirs d’aventures, lorsqu’analysée à travers la lentille de l’autodétermination.

KEYWORDS:

• Adventure recreation
• mimic
• self-determination theory
• rock climbing

MOTS-CLÉS:

• loisirs d’AVENTURE
• MIMIC
• théorie de l’autodétermination
• escalade

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. We feel the need to explain the contexts of the terms internalization and self-determination. Internalization, or levels of internalization, is used to differentiate multiple types of extrinsic motivations, whereas self-determination is used to explain motivations listed on the continuum ranging from amotivation to intrinsic motivation.

2. In the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), the 5 preceding the dot (.) indicates traveling on near-vertical or vertical terrain, where all limbs must be used and protection is necessary. The number following the dot indicates the relative difficulty of climbing routes. 5.0 represents the easiest, whereas 5.13 indicates a difficult route requiring sound physicality and technique to climb the route successfully with falling.

3. Lead climbing requires extra skills compared to top-roping. Unlike top-rope situations, where rope has been clipped into a top anchor before participants climb, lead climbing requires climbers to place protection during their ascent and clip the rope into anchors themselves. Depending upon the conditions, climbers place various types of protection. For example, in sport climbing, bolts are set in rock surfaces to highlight routes, and climbers need to carry quickdraws to clip into bolts during their ascent. In a traditional climbing setting, climbers insert protection in cracks or pre-existing bolt.