SELF-DETERMINATION IN SPORT - A REVIEW USING COGNITIVE EVALUATION THEORY

Research on the issue of self-determination and its relationship to intrinsic motivation in sport is reviewed using cognitive evaluation theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985). It is argued that much of sport participation is a function of intrinsic motivation, and that such intrinsic motivation is facilitated by conditions conducive to autonomy or self-determination. The dynamics of self-determination have been explored in studies of the effects of external rewards, interpersonal contexts, and styles of self-regulation on intrinsic motivation. The implications of this body of work for sport psychology are discussed, as well as the relevant areas of sport motivation research that to date remain under-examined.