Explain how task orientation and ego orientation reflect different motivational approaches in sport. (4 marks)
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Sample Answer
- Task orientation reflects intrinsic motivation where athletes focus on skill mastery and personal improvement, which leads to sustained effort regardless of competitive outcomes.
- This approach results in athletes evaluating their performance against personal standards and previous achievements, maintaining motivation through visible improvement rather than competitive ranking.
- In contrast, ego orientation aligns with extrinsic motivation where success is defined by outperforming others or achieving external recognition.
- Consequently, this orientation can undermine persistence when winning becomes unlikely, as athletes may avoid valuable development opportunities that risk failure.
- Therefore, ego-oriented athletes tend to select competitions where success is guaranteed when confidence is low, limiting their long-term growth potential because they prioritise outcomes over skill development.
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Sample Answer
- Task orientation reflects intrinsic motivation where athletes focus on skill mastery and personal improvement, which leads to sustained effort regardless of competitive outcomes.
- This approach results in athletes evaluating their performance against personal standards and previous achievements, maintaining motivation through visible improvement rather than competitive ranking.
- In contrast, ego orientation aligns with extrinsic motivation where success is defined by outperforming others or achieving external recognition.
- Consequently, this orientation can undermine persistence when winning becomes unlikely, as athletes may avoid valuable development opportunities that risk failure.
- Therefore, ego-oriented athletes tend to select competitions where success is guaranteed when confidence is low, limiting their long-term growth potential because they prioritise outcomes over skill development.