METAMOTIVATIONAL STATES DURING CANOE SLALOM COMPETITION - A QUALITATIVE-ANALYSIS USING REVERSAL THEORY

Fifty post-event interviews with 9 elite male slalom canoeists were an alysed using a modified version of the Metamotivational State Coding S chedule (Potocky, Cook & O'Connell, 1993). Participants reported 7 of the 8 metamotivational categories posited by reversal theory (Apter, 1 982). All participants consistently experienced autic mastery (self fo cused control) although they varied in their tendency to exhibit a tel ic (serious and future oriented) or paratelic (spontaneous and present focused) orientation. Most were willing to conform to competitive nor ms although there were several instances of negativism. Participants' experience changed (or reversed) at different stages of the competitio n in response to errors or external events. Above average performances occurred more frequently when participants' experience was consistent with paratelic autic mastery. Implications for coaches and practition ers are discussed.