Theoretical and practical considerations in investigating motivation and discomfort during prolonged exercise

In this article a motivational perspective to exercise and sport are reviewed. The review emphasises the social-cognitive approach that has recently been utilised extensively in the sport psychology literature. The review concentrates on the goal perspective approach to achievement motivation, the concept of competitiveness in sport, and the psychological constructs of perceived competence, efficacy, and control in association with the environmental conditions under which performance is evaluated. An integrated model of motivation is postulated to better account for motor/physical performance. The model is used later to show how performance can be examined in emotionally (i.e., frustration) and physically (work hard) demanding situations that can be manipulated and standardised. Experimental Support for the model is provided.