IB Sports, exercise and health science C.3.2.2 Motivation Continuum: from Amotivation to Controlled and Autonomous Motivation Notes

The Motivation Continuum

1. Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory places motivation on a continuum running from amotivation at one end, through extrinsic motivation (with four subtypes), to intrinsic motivation at the other.
2. As you move along the continuum, the source of the drive shifts from outside the person toward inside the person.
3. The same training session can sit at completely different points for two athletes, and that predicts who persists, performs, and enjoys sport long term.

Amotivation

1. Amotivation is the complete absence of motivation.
2. The athlete has no intention to act and can see no reason to try.
3. There is no perceived contingency between effort and reward.
4. The athlete shows up if forced, drifts through sessions, and drops out at the first opportunity.
   1. Perceived lack of competence: 'I cannot do this no matter how hard I try.'
   2. Lack of interest, relevance or value: 'There is no point to this activity.'

Extrinsic Motivation

1. Extrinsic motivation is controlled motivation: the activity is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
2. The four subtypes sit in order of increasing internalisation, from least self-determined to most self-determined within the extrinsic range.

External Regulation

1. External regulation is the least self-determined form.
2. Behaviour is directly driven by external rewards or punishments.
3. The athlete trains because a scholarship depends on it, or stops the moment the external pressure disappears.

Introjected Regulation

1. Introjected regulation is partly internalised.
2. The pressure now lives inside the athlete as guilt, shame, or fear of disapproval.
3. The athlete trains to protect their ego or avoid feeling bad, not because they genuinely value the activity.

Identified Regulation

1. Identified regulation occurs when the athlete recognises the personal value of the activity, even if they do not enjoy it for its own sake.
2. 'I want to exercise because it keeps me healthy.' The activity matters to the person, which places it on the autonomous side of the continuum.

Integrated Regulation

1. Integrated regulation is the most autonomous form of extrinsic motivation.
2. The activity has been assimilated into the athlete's sense of self.
3. 'I am a runner.' The activity aligns with the athlete's identity and values.
4. Both identified and integrated regulation predict long-term engagement.

Intrinsic Motivation

1. Intrinsic motivation is fully self-determined.
2. The activity is an end in itself.
3. No external reward is needed; the drive comes entirely from inside the person.
4. SDT identifies three distinct forms of intrinsic motivation, each pointing in the same direction but driven by a slightly different internal source.

Intrinsic Motivation to Know

1. Motivation to know: the athlete is driven by curiosity and the desire to learn about the sport.
2. They study tactics, experiment with technique, and find satisfaction in understanding how the body or the game works.

Intrinsic Motivation to Accomplish

1. Motivation to accomplish: the athlete is driven by the satisfaction of mastering a skill or achieving a personal best.
2. The act of improving is rewarding in itself, independent of any external recognition or outcome.

Intrinsic Motivation to Experience Stimulation

1. Motivation to experience stimulation: the athlete is driven by the sensory and emotional experience of the activity itself.
2. This includes the physical buzz of movement, the feeling of flow, and the pleasure of the sport's inherent sensations.

Internalisation

1. Internalisation is the process by which externally driven behaviour gradually becomes personally valued, and eventually enjoyable in itself.
2. A coach's job is to create the conditions for internalisation: providing autonomy (choice and reasons), competence (calibrated challenge and informational feedback), and relatedness (a coach and squad the athlete trusts).

Ergometer Feedback: A Practical Example

1. A rowing coach gives each athlete their split times, power output, and stroke rate from the rowing ergometer after each session.
2. This data supports intrinsic motivation through three SDT levers simultaneously.
   1. Identifies clear performance criteria: the athlete can see what 'better' looks like.
   2. Allows specific goal setting: for example, 'drop my 2k split by 1.5 seconds in six weeks'.
   3. Supports autonomy and self-regulation: the athlete monitors their own progress without waiting for the coach to evaluate them.