Does observed controlling teaching behavior relate to students’ motivation in physical education?
Abstract
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has served as a theoretical framework for considerable research on teaching behavior and student motivation. The majority of studies have focused on need-supportive teaching behavior at the expense of need-thwarting teaching behavior (i.e., the “dark side” of teaching). The goal of the present study was to examine motivational dynamics involved in controlling teaching behavior in the context of physical education (PE). The majority of studies on observed teaching behavior were conducted in the laboratory. To augment the ecological validity in the present study the behavior of PE teachers was videotaped as to rate their controlling teaching behavior in a real-life setting. In a sample of 56 teachers and 702 secondary school students, controlling teaching behavior during a specific PE class, as observed by external raters, was related positively to students’ perceived controlling teaching behavior and, through these perceptions, to controlled motivation and amotivation. These associations were obtained in spite of the low incidence of controlling teaching behaviors, suggesting that students may be quite sensitive to controlling teaching behaviors. No associations were found between observed controlling behavior and student autonomous motivation and students’ perceptions of autonomy-supportive teaching. Practical implications and recommendations for PE teachers’ professional development training are included.
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Common features of PE teacher practice, such as using controlling language or using exercise as punishment, can have immediate and long-term impacts on students' motivation to be active.
“Common features of PE teacher practice, such as using controlling language (e.g., terms like ‘must’, ‘should’ or ‘have to’ that convey pressure and/or coerce individuals to act in ways that are inconsistent with their sense of self), or using exercise as punishment, can have immediate and long-term impacts on students’ motivation to be active [25–29].”
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- Authors
- De Meyer, J., Tallir, I. B., Soenens, B., Vansteenkiste, M., Aelterman, N., Van den Berghe, L., Speleers, L., & Haerens, L.
- Affiliations
- Ghent University (BE)
- HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts (BE)
- Venue
- Journal of Educational Psychology
- Published
- 2014-05
- Volume
- 106
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 541-554
- ISSN
- 0022-0663 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-2176
- OpenAlex
- W1994308266
- Cited by
- 261
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 65 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 14.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Educational Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- University College Ghent
- Flemish Research Foundation (G.0234.10)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Pedagogy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
- Keywords
- self-determination theory, student motivation, physical education, high school students, controlled motivation, amotivation, autonomous motivation, autonomy support, teacher professional development
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