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The Effects of Competitive Orientation on the Ability and Effort Attributions of Racquetball Players

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2014

Kevin S. Spink*
Affiliation:
Footscray Institute of Technology
*
Department of Physical Education & Recreation, Footscray Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 64, Footscray, Victoria, 3011.
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different goal structures on the attributional patterns of individuals involved in a sport situation. One hundred and fifty-eight male subjects played in one of two types of racquetball tournament. In the competitive tournament, the goal was to win as many games as possible, whereas in the mastery tournament the goal was to do one's best. Analyses revealed that individuals in the competitive condition tended to focus more on ability attributions than did individuals in the mastery condition. The implications of these findings for the sport practitioner are discussed.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1986

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References

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