Comparative analysis of athletes' motivation as a predictor of sports activity experience

Kharitonova Anna Igorevna ORCID: 0000-0003-3818-0580 PhD in Psychology Judo and Sambo coach, FAI MD RF "Central Sports Club of the Army" 125167, Russia, Moscow, Leningradsky Prospekt str., 39 kharitosha85@mail.ru

Komyagina Nataliya Vladimirovna Judo coach, CSiE "Sambo 70". 115162, Russia, Moscow, Mytnaya str., 42, p.1 knv737@mail.ru

Introduction. Motivation is associated with any type of activity and is an incentive to action, which determines the final result ^[26]. A motivated person successfully carries out any business and is able to maximize all his efforts in achieving his goals. This is especially evident in sports ^[15].

Motivation in sports activity was studied (G. D. Babushkin, E. P. Ilyin, J. Kretti, R. M. Naidiffer, Yu. Yu. Palaima, R. A. Piloyan, V. I. Tropnikov, A.V. Shaboltas, B. P. Yakovlev and many others).

Motivation is defined as "a special state of an athlete's personality, formed as a result of correlating his needs and capabilities with the subject of sports activity, serving as the basis for setting and implementing goals aimed at achieving the maximum possible sports result at the moment" ^{[14, p.13]}.

Motivation motivates and directs athletes to effective actions in specific situations ^[22], stimulates them to maximize their abilities ^[12], to achieve the heights of skill ^[18].

There are two types of motivation: internal and external ^[32], which can change throughout a sports career ^[8]. The successful development of an athlete and the achievement of athletic results by him is possible only with the correct ratio of the two types of motivation ^[20].

Intrinsic motivation is characterized by an athlete's "inner desire to perform certain tasks, and certain actions that are enjoyable and develop certain skills. While external motivation is a motivational factor external to the athlete and unrelated to the task he performs" ^{[10, p. 200]}.

A complete motivation analysis also includes amotivation, which refers to a lack of motivation. Amotivated people are relatively aimless in relation to activity, have little motivation (internal or external) to perform it ^[34]. The lack of sports motivation may be the reason for an athlete's retirement from sports ^[23].

At the beginning of the sports path, it is necessary to interest a young athlete in the need to play sports, supporting the created interest with strong motives, thereby creating motivation for further activities ^{[3, 21]}. With the growth of sports qualifications, motives change ^{[13, 31]}, from strengthening one's health to honing technical skills, setting a specific sports goal ^[4], while motivational factors must be taken into account so that an athlete can realize his strength when playing sports ^[5].

Motivation is an important component of sports activity, which confirms the need to study the motivational characteristics that encourage athletes to continue training activities, as well as the reasons for the dropout of young athletes from sports ^{[27, 24]}.

Many scientific papers, not only by domestic but also by foreign authors, are devoted to the gender manifestations of athletes' motives ^[16], research data show that both there are significant differences ^[14] and there are no significant differences in motives based on gender ^[28].

Depending on the type of sport, there are different motivations for sports improvement ^[2], which can act as predictors of sportsmanship ^[33].

Different authors have found that there are differences in motives between athletes competing in individual and team sports ^[25], based on the level of external and internal motivation, it is possible to determine the effectiveness or quality of sports ^[36], in team sports the collectivist orientation is more pronounced and the motives of self-affirmation and communication dominate ^[17], and they play sports for the sake of pleasure and a sense of community ^[30].

Athletes of individual sports have a relationship between sports experience and motivational characteristics ^[35], such athletes are characterized by an increase in their own prestige ^[1], motives for personal and physical self-improvement ^[7], stenicity and positivity of emotions ^[11], and the motives for sports are the need for self-expression, communication and material interest ^[6].

Thus, the above indicates that the study of athletes' motivation as a predictor of sports experience has not been practically studied. In these studies, it is necessary to take into account both gender characteristics and the specifics of the sport itself, which will help to maintain the interest of novice athletes in classes, increase the effectiveness of their activities and, therefore, increase their sports experience.

The purpose of the study: to conduct a comparative analysis of the motivation of athletes and identify the motives that act as predictors of the length of sports activity.

Research methods. The study involved 173 athletes aged 11 to 18 years engaged in judo and sambo in youth sports schools, 71 of them girls (M=14.63; SD=1.72), 102 boys (M=14.06; SD=1.91).

The study was conducted using the following methods: "Studying the motives of sports" by V. I. Tropnikov ^[19], which includes 11 motives and a scale of sports motivation (Sport Motivation Scale) ^[29] in adaptation (Kasatkin V. N., Vykhodets I. T., Bochaver K. A., Kvitchasty A.V.) ^[9] consisting of 7 scales, internal and external motivation and lack of motivation (demotivation).

The results were processed using the Mann-Whitney U-test, ANOVA analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis. Calculations and data processing were performed using the Jamovi 2.3.28 program.

The results of the study and their discussion. Using the methodology "Studying the motives of sports", the main reasons that encourage athletes to engage in this sport were identified (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Motivational profiles by average values (V. I. Tropnikov's method)

The leading motive for girls to engage in sports is the development of character and mental qualities (3,949±0.869). Unimportant motives were identified such as improving well-being and health (2,155±0.662), communication (2,171±0.699) and material benefits (2,178±0.548).

Physical perfection (4,043±0.774), character development and mental qualities (4,158±0.955) were identified as the most significant motive for boys to engage in sports. The least significant are material benefits (2,556±1,101) and improvement of well-being and health (2,891±0.957).

Statistical differences in the motivational sphere between boys and girls were revealed: communication U=2027, p<0.001, r=0.440; development of character and mental qualities U=2978, p<0.05, r=0.177; physical perfection U=2057, p<0.001, r=0.432; improvement of well-being and health U=1930, p<0.001, r=0.467; acquisition of life-useful skills and knowledge U=2036, p<0.001, r=0.438, these motives are more developed in boys than in girls.

The results of the "Sports Motivation Scale" method (the reasons why an athlete is currently engaged in this sport) showed (Figure 2) that for boys and girls, the main reason for playing sports is caused by internal motivation, this is new learning, self-development and emotional stimulation. Such athletes practice for the sake of enjoying the training process itself and achieving the desired results. They show interest in learning, strive to improve their skills, increase the effectiveness of their actions, want to achieve their intended goal, while for them it is most important to experience positive emotions and vivid impressions as a result of performing at the peak of their capabilities.

Figure 2. Motivational profiles by average values (Sports motivation scale)

Two groups of athletes had low scores on the lack of motivation (demotivation) scale. Athletes have a sufficient level of motivation to successfully perform training activities.

Girls have the least evidence of social approval in the structure of external motivation. The lack of need for social approval characterizes athletes by the fact that they play sports for themselves, and not in order to gain the respect of others and receive encouragement and material rewards.

Young men have high indicators in the structure of external motivation - obligation (heightened sense of duty). This component of motivation characterizes athletes with a subjective assessment of their athletic achievements and sports activities.

There are statistical differences in motivation between boys and girls: goal offset U=2870, p<0.05, r=0.207, where sports are a means of achieving personal goals; due U=2465, p<0.001, r=0.319, in the subjective assessment of their sporting achievements; social approval U=2734.5, p<0.01, r=0.245, in the control of outside influence; lack of motivation U=2960.5, p<0.05, r=0.182, in the lack of motivation of athletes.

In a further study, using analysis of variance (using a posteriori comparison adjusted for Bonferroni and weighted averages), we identified the motives of athletes in subgroups of boys and girls, depending on the level of sports category and rank.

Sample of girls: no category (hereinafter referred to as B/R) – 10 people (M=12.67; SD=1.03), junior category (hereinafter referred to as YUN) – 17 people (M=13.53; SD=0.94), adult category (hereinafter referred to as VZR) – 24 people(M=14.41; SD=1.01), candidate for Master of Sports (hereinafter CMC) – 20 people (M=16.4; SD=1.46).

Girls have differences in the following indicators:

communication: F(3.67)=3.59, p=0.18, n2=0.138. B/R and VZR t(67)=2.831, p<0.05, d=1,066, average difference=5,650. Athletes without a category are more motivated to communicate than athletes of the adult category;

material goods: F(3.67)=4,159, p=0.09, n2=0.157. KMS and B/R t(67)=3,516, p<0.01, d=1.362, the difference in averages =-3.516. Athletes without a category are more interested in the material benefits of sports than athletes of the CMS;

improvement of well-being and health F(3.67)=4.657, p=0.005, n2=0.173. B/R and VZR t(67)=2.974, p<0.05, d=1.19, average difference =5.508. There are differences in these indicators between athletes without a discharge and adult discharge, athletes without a discharge are motivated by sports to improve their well-being and health;

acquisition of life-useful skills and knowledge F(3.67)=5.058, p=0.003, n2=0.185. YUN and VZR t(67)=3,104, p<0.05, d=0.984, mean difference=3.605. CMC and VZR t(67)=3.298, p<0.01, d=0.998, average difference=3.658. Athletes with the junior category and the title of CMC are more involved in sports to acquire life-saving skills and knowledge than athletes with the adult category;

lack of motivation F(3.67)=8,023, p<0.001, n2=0.264. YN and B/R t(67)=-3.346, p<0.01, d=1.334, the difference of averages=-5.365. KMS and B/R t(67)=-4.621, p<0.001, d=1.790, average difference=-7.2. B/R and VZR t(67)=4,359, p<0.001, d= 1.641, average difference =6.6. These indicators indicate that athletes without a category are more demotivated than athletes of other categories.

A sample of young men: B/R – 25 people (M=12.5; SD=2.19), young – 45 people (M=13.9; SD=1.39), adult – 18 people(M=14.83; SD=1.29), CMS – 14 people(M=16.6; SD=0.52).

Only two motivational components were identified in the boys:

material goods: F(3.98)=3.865, p=0.012, n2=0.106. YUN and KMS t(98)=-3.179, p<0.05, d=0.973, average difference=-8,229. KMS and VZR t(98)=2,999, p<0.05, d=1.069, average difference=9.04. CMS are more motivated in obtaining material benefits than athletes of youth and adult categories;

duty (sense of duty): F(3.98)=3.02, p=0.033, n2=0.085. CMC and VZR t(98)=2.776, p<0.05, d=0.989, average difference=5.865. Athletes of the KMS rank have a more acute sense of duty than athletes of the adult category.

Multiple regression analysis was used to identify predictors of sports experience.

For girls (Table 1), significant predictors were: acquisition of life-useful skills and knowledge (β=0.575, p<0.001), character development and mental qualities (β=-0.479, p<0.001), collectivistic orientation (β=-0.382, p<0.001), communication (β=0.250, p<0.004), lack of motivation (demotivation) (β=-0.247 p<0,004). The resulting model is statistically significant F(8.62)=24.563, p<0.001, and explains 76% of the observed variance (R=0.872; R2=0.760).

Table 1.

Regression analysis results (girls N=71)

The difference of each group from the comparison group (comparison group – B/R) according to these indicators: for young people, the average difference is 38,003 points, for adults = 81.781, for CMS = 73.246 significance at p <0,001.

The regression equation for girls who do not have a sports title has the following form:

Length of service=108,246-1,921×Missing.motif-2,320×Collection+5,174×Skills+1,598×Common-2,460×Characters

For young men, material goods are significant predictors contributing to their sports experience (Table 2) (β=0.289, p<0.01) and a collectivistic orientation (β=-0.190, p<0,05). Statistical significance of the model F(5.96)=23.697, p<0.001. In accordance with the coefficient of determination R2, the resulting model explains 55.2% of the variance (R=0.743; R2=0.552).

Table 2.

Regression analysis results (boys N=102)

The difference of each group from the comparison group (comparison group – B/R) according to these indicators: for young people, the average difference is 33.313 points, for adults = 56.336, for CMC =74.490 significance at p <0,001.

The regression equation for young men who do not have a sports title has the following form:

Experience=29,936+1,238×Mat.benefits-0.885×Collection.directed.

Conclusions. The conducted study revealed the dominant motives of sports activities depending on gender in athletes engaged in judo and sambo wrestling:

- the main motive for girls to play sports is the development of character and mental qualities;

- for young men, the most significant motives were identified – physical perfection, the development of character and mental qualities, and duty, i.e. an acute sense of duty;

- boys and girls play sports for the sake of enjoying the training process itself and achieving the desired results.

Boys, unlike girls, have more developed and statistically confirmed differences in the motivational sphere, such as: communication, character development and mental qualities, physical perfection, improvement of well-being and health, acquisition of life-useful skills and knowledge, goal shift, duty, social approval and demotivation.

Differences in motivation within each group of boys and girls were found, depending on the sports category and rank:

- for girls, the differences consist in indicators of communication, material benefits, improvement of well-being and health, acquisition of life-useful skills and knowledge, demotivation;

- young men have differences in material goods and duties.

As the results of regression analysis have shown, the predictors of sports experience in boys and girls have certain differences:

- for girls, communication and the acquisition of life-useful skills and knowledge are significant predictors, while indicators of demotivation, collectivistic orientation, character development and mental qualities not only do not contribute, but also prevent them from continuing to play sports;

- for young men, the predictors predicting a longer sports experience are material benefits, and a collectivistic orientation contributes to a decrease in the length of sports activity.

According to the results of the study, in order to increase the duration of an athlete's stay in sports, it is necessary to take into account their motivational orientation: for girls who study in the judo and sambo section, communication itself is important, and the acquisition of life-useful skills and abilities, and for boys the main motivator is financial reward.

The considered motivating factors set the vector of research, analysis, and development of coaching activities to involve young athletes in sports life and maximize the length of everyone's sports experience.

The practical significance of the research and the results obtained can be recommended to the coaching and teaching staff in the field of physical education and sports, for a deeper understanding of how to create and use motivating factors to attract boys and girls to sports. It is important for a coach-teacher to understand this, building their own individual and unique process of sports, and to develop their own methods.