In this study was tested the prediction that approach-oriented wrestlers should perform better than indifferent- and avoidance-oriented ones. The 1970 Achievement Motives Scale of Gjesme and Nygård was administered to 47 boys, and subjects' scores were sampled for four different wrestling championships on international and national level. Measured were oxygen uptake, speed of movement, muscular strength, and serial performance of five wrestling holds. Approach-oriented wrestlers performed better than indifferent-oriented ones on 9 of 15 tasks. Only in international competitive situations did the approach-oriented wrestlers perform better than the avoidance-oriented ones. Results are interpreted in terms of hypotheses about achievement motivation, and pedagogical implications are discussed.
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