SELF-DETERMINATION IN SPORT - A REVIEW USING COGNITIVE EVALUATION THEORY

Research on the issue of self-determination and its relationship to in trinsic motivation in sport is reviewed using cognitive evaluation the ory (Deci & Ryan, 1985). It is argued that much of sport participation is a function of intrinsic motivation, and that such intrinsic motiva tion is facilitated by conditions conducive to autonomy or self-determ ination. The dynamics of self-determination have been explored in stud ies of the effects of external rewards, interpersonal contexts, and st yles of self-regulation on intrinsic motivation. The implications of t his body of work for sport psychology are discussed, as well as the re levant areas of sport motivation research that to date remain under-ex amined.