Approach-Avoidance Individual Differences in Changing Students' Responses to Physical Education

Abstract

The purpose of this report was to examine the effects of physical education acrobatic activities as a function of individual differences on approach-avoidance tendencies for acrobatics. The data of a study conducted by Robazza, Bortoli, Carraro, and Bertollo (2006) were analyzed after having classified students as high- or low-avoiders. Approach-avoidance tendencies and idiosyncratic emotions related to acrobatic tasks and adventurous sports were originally assessed for 72 Italian male high school students. Experimental participants engaged in acrobatic tasks of physical education for 12 lessons, while control participants were involved in team sports. Analysis showed that high-avoiders changed their emotions positively toward physical education tasks more than low-avoiders, whereas the latter modified their attitudes for adventurous sports. Approach-avoidance tendencies can be expected to moderate involvement in challenging physical activities.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bandura

(1982) Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37, 122–147.

Biddle

S. J. H.

Chatzisarantis

(1999) Motivation for a physically active lifestyle through physical education. In Auweele

Vanden Y.

Bakker

Biddle

Durand

Seiler

(Eds.), Psychology for physical educators. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Pp. 5–26.

Borg

(2001) Borg's range model and scales. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 32, 110–126.

Bortoli

Robazza

(1994) The Motor Activity Anxiety Test. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 79, 299–305.

Cogan

Brown

R. I. F.

(1999) Metamotivational dominance states and injuries in risk and safe sports. Personality and Individual Differences, 27, 503–518.

Deci

E. L.

(1980) The psychology of self-determination. Lexington, MA: Heath.

Frijda

N. H.

(1986) The emotions. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univer. Press.

Hanin

Y. L.

(Ed.) (2000) Emotions in sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Martens

(1996) Turning kids on to physical activity for a lifetime. Quest, 48, 303–310.

10.

Price

I. R.

Bundesen

(2005) Emotional changes in skydivers in relation to experience. Personality and Individual Differences, 38, 1203–1211.

11.

Rink

J. E.

(2002) Teaching physical education for learning. (4th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill.

12.

Robazza

Bortoli

(2005) Changing students' attitudes towards risky motor tasks: An application of the IZOF model. Journal of Sports Sciences, 23, 1075–1088.

13.

Robazza

Bortoli

Carraro

Bertollo

(2006) “I wouldn't do it; it looks dangerous”: Changing students' attitudes and emotions in physical education. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 767–777.

14.

Zuckerman

(1994) Behavioral expressions and biosocial bases of sensation seeking. New York: Cambridge Univer. Press.