RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF SUCCESS IN SPORT AND SCHOOLWORK

Cross-domain studies of achievement-related cognitions have been gaini ng attention in the United Stales. This study provides comparative dat a from a United Kingdom upper school. 390 subjects age 13 (n = 218) or 15 (n = 172) years rated the importance of success in sport and schoo lwork. Academic success was more important than sport success, and spo rt success was more important to boys (n = 203) than girls (n = 187). Academic success was less important to older subjects, and sport succe ss was less important to older girls. Predictions, from importance and perceived ability, of free time spent in each domain were stronger fo r sport than for schoolwork indicating that the model held better for voluntary activity.