The Motivating Role of Positive Feedback in Sport and Physical Education: Evidence for a Motivational Model
Abstract
Based on self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), an experimental study with middle school students participating in a physical education task and a correlational study with highly talented sport students investigated the motivating role of positive competence feedback on participants’ well-being, performance, and intention to participate. In Study 1, structural equation modeling favored the hypothesized motivational model, in which, after controlling for pretask perceived competence and competence valuation, feedback positively predicted competence satisfaction, which in turn predicted higher levels of vitality and greater intentions to participate, through the mediation of autonomous motivation. No effects on performance were found. Study 2 further showed that autonomous motivation mediated the relation between competence satisfaction and well-being, whereas amotivation mediated the negative relation between competence satisfaction and ill-being and rated performance. The discussion focuses on the motivational role of competence feedback in sports and physical education settings.
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The effective use of feedback in organized physical activities can greatly impact students' motivation, engagement, enjoyment and persistence in a task, perceptions of competence, interest in physical activity, motor skill acquisition, and future participation.
“The effective use of feedback in organized physical activities can also greatly impact students’ motivation, engagement, enjoyment and persistence in a task, perceptions of competence, interest in physical activity, motor skill acquisition, and future participation [43, 63, 76–81].”
Positive feedback is most effective when it is perceived by the learner as honest, success is attributed to effort and strategy rather than innate ability, it reinforces improvement and learning rather than social comparison, it is delivered privately rather than publicly where possible, and the criteria needed to gain positive feedback are specific and achievable and made explicit to learners.
“Positive feedback is considered to be most effective when: (i) it is perceived by the learner as honest, (ii) success is attributed to effort and strategy rather than innate ability, (iii) it reinforces improvement and learning rather than social comparison, (iv) is delivered privately rather than publicly (where possible), and (v) the criteria needed to gain positive feedback are specific and ac”
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References 69 · Cited by 382
- Authors
- Mouratidis, A., Vansteenkiste, M., Lens, W., & Sideridis, G.
- Affiliations
- KU Leuven (BE)
- Ghent University (BE)
- University of Crete (GR)
- Venue
- Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Published
- 2008-04
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 240-268
- ISSN
- 0895-2779 (ISSN-L)
- 1543-2904
- OpenAlex
- W2110027449
- Cited by
- 382
- References
- 69
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 16.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Pedagogy
- Keywords
- positive feedback, self-determination theory, autonomous motivation, competence satisfaction, well-being, ill-being, vitality, intention to participate, performance, junior high school students, talented athletes, physical education, sport
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Female, Helplessness, Learned, Humans, Male, Models, Psychological, Motivation, Personal Satisfaction, Physical Education and Training, Reinforcement, Psychology, Self Concept, Sports, Personal Autonomy, Feedback, Psychological, Intention, Athletic Performance
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