Effects of dispositional ability conceptions, manipulated learning environments, and intrinsic motivation on persistence and performance: an interaction approach.

The present study used an interaction approach to investigate how individuals' dispositions about ability as incremental or fixed (entity), manipulated learning environments, and intrinsic motivation affect persistence and performance on a challenging, novel motor skill. Seventy-two female college students who were assigned to either an incremental or entity learning condition for instruction and practice completed questionnaires and attempted to learn the skill. The results indicated that participants oriented toward incremental beliefs were likely to be more intrinsically motivated. Participants who were intrinsically motivated were likely to perform better on a final skill test. The significant interaction effect on persistence suggests that participants who were highly intrinsically motivated in the incremental condition persisted longer than those in the entity condition.

Self-efficacy and outcome expectancy in beginning weight training class: their relations to students' behavioral intention and actual behavior.

This study was an initial attempt to investigate the relationships among self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, behavioral intention, and actual behavior over time in a beginning weight training class. A total of 109 participants completed questionnaires assessing their self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and intentions for future weight training. Their attendance and workout logs were calculated as a measure of actual behavior. Correlation analyses revealed significant positive relationships among all the variables during both program periods. Multiple regression analyses indicated that outcome expectancy initially played a more important role than self-efficacy in predicting behavioral intention and actual behavior. However, self-efficacy appeared more influential at midprogram. Findings of this study can enhance our understanding of the determining factors for individuals' motivated behaviors in college physical activity classes.

Pedagogy research through the years in RQES.

This paper examines the growth in research on teaching, curriculum, and teacher education in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, describing how this body of work has evolved over the past 75 years. The research stream progressed from "expert" discourses about what physical education should be to scientific approaches that have generated a body of knowledge based on evidence rather than beliefs. Investigations focused on the teaching and learning process have evolved to provide research-based benchmarks for designing teacher education programs and evaluating instruction as well as informing effective teaching practice. We advocate for a broad view of pedagogy and argue that pedagogical researchers can make an important contribution to efforts to increase levels of physical activity through interdisciplinary projects.

The influence of gender-related beliefs and conceptions of ability on women learning the hockey wrist shot.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of beliefs about gender appropriateness and conceptions of ability on perceived and actual competene and patterns of behavior during practice of the hockey wrist shot. Sixty-eight undergraduate women formed four treatment conditions based on their beliefs about gender appropriateness and conceptions of ability. Four teachers taught across the treatment conditions for a total of 16 learning groups. Data were collected through a three-part questionnaire and from audio-video taping of the entire episode to ascertain the paticipants' competency beliefs, effort, and performance. Gender appropriateness impacted the participants' perceptions of competence and actual performance in the study, while beliefs about conceptions of ability did not produce a significant difference. This study reaffirms that educators must work diligently to combat the stereotypical beliefs many hold with respect to the gender appropriateness of physical activities.