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Motivational orientations and imagery use: a goal profiling analysis
Jennifer Cumming1, Craig Hall, Chris Harwood
1School of Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. jennifercumming@aol.com
Journal of Sports Sciences
|January 29, 2002
Summary
Competitive swimmers
Area of Science:
- Sport Psychology
- Motor Learning
Background:
- Motivational profiles influence athletic performance.
- Imagery use is a key psychological skill in sports.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if distinct motivational profiles correlate with specific imagery use in swimmers.
- To investigate the relationship between task and ego orientation and imagery functions.
Main Methods:
- 105 competitive swimmers completed the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ) and the Sport Imagery Questionnaire.
- K-means cluster analysis identified three distinct motivational profiles based on TEOSQ scores.
- Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) compared imagery use across the identified clusters.
Main Results:
- Three distinct motivational profiles emerged from cluster analysis.
- Significant differences in imagery use were found between the motivational profile groups.
- Swimmers with a balanced task and ego orientation profile showed higher motivation for performance-enhancing imagery.
Conclusions:
- Motivational profiles are linked to specific patterns of imagery use in competitive swimmers.
- Understanding these profiles can inform targeted imagery interventions.
- A balanced motivational orientation may foster greater engagement with performance-focused imagery.
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