Abstract

SICILIA CAMACHO, ÁLVARO; AGUILA SOTO, CORNELIO; GONZALEZ-CUTRE, DAVID  and  MORENO-MURCIA, JUAN ANTONIO. Motivational Factors and Autotelic Experience in Physical Exercise: an Explanatory Model. Univ. Psychol. [online]. 2011, vol.10, n.1, pp.125-135. ISSN 1657-9267.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the estimated influence of perception of the motivational climate, implicit beliefs of ability and intrinsic motivation on the autotelic experience propensity in physical exercise. A sample of 727 practitioners of non-competitive physical-sport activities (402 men y 325 women), age between 16 and 78 years, participated in this study. The results of the structural equation model showed that the task climate positively predicted incremental belief, intrinsic motivation and autotelic experience, whereas the ego climate positively predicted entity belief. Incremental belief positively predicted intrinsic motivation, whereas entity belief negatively predicted the latter. Intrinsic motivation positively predicted autotelic experience. The model was invariant across gender. The results are discussed with reference to the important role staff could play in encouraging practitioners to continue to do sport.

Keywords : Motivation; Implicit Beliefs of Ability; Autotelic Experience; Physical Activity; Motor Activity; Motivation; Physiology; Exercise.