GOAL ORIENTATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE SPORT EXPERIENCE

Nicholls's (1984a, 1984b, 1989) conceptual framework was used to study the relationship between two implicit goal orientations (task and ego ) and achievement behaviors. This study examined the relationship betw een the goal orientations and (a) beliefs concerning determinants of s uccess, (b) competition and practice strategies, (c) practice benefits , and (d) enjoyment. Subjects were 182 male and 114 female high school athletes who competed in at least one sport during the 1989-1990 scho ol year. Factor analyses were conducted to determine the composition o f the relevant factors. Ten factors emerged. Canonical analysis was em ployed to determine the relationship between goal orientations and the 10 subscales. The results, consistent with the hypotheses, showed tha t athletes with a task orientation focused on adaptive achievement str ategies whereas athletes with an ego orientation focused on potentiall y maladaptive achievement strategies. The implications of the results to sport participation are discussed.