The relationship between peak performance and motivation in college and high school baseball players
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between peak performance and motivation. Subjects for this study consisted of 40 baseball players (21 high school & 19 college). Each subject completed the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), followed by the Experience Questionnaire dhected towards an average performance, and finally, the Experience Questionnaire directed towards their best performance. Based on the difference score on the Experience Questionnaire directed towards their best performance and their average performance subjects were categorized as peak or nonpeak performers. For both high school and college basebaU players scores from the SMS, for intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and scores from the Experience Questionnaire for the best performance for peak performers and non-peak performers were correlated. This resulted in four correlations for each group; the four correlation scores were (1) peak perfomiers best performance score and intrinsic motivation, (2) peak performers best performance score and extrinsic motivation, (3) non-peak performers best performance score and mtrinsic motivation, and (4) non-peak performers best performance score and extrinsic motivation. Finally, a coefficient of determination was calculated to determine to what extent the motivation scores influence performance scores. Results suggest that controlling and informational aspects of motivation such as scholarships, and skill level may play a role m the relationship between peak performance and motivation.