Motivational profiles in lifesaving sport

Abstract

The main purpose of this article has been to analyze the motivational profiles in a group of 283 lifesavers (141 male and 142 female), of ages 14 to 38 years. There were several variables that were analyzed: perception of motivational climate, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, amotivation and dispositional flow. Cluster analysis showed that there were three different profiles. The “non-self-determined profile” scored high in the ego climate and amotivation variables. They showed moderate scores in the extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation and dispositional flow variables, and low scores in the task climate variable. The “self-determined profile” scored high in the task climate and intrinsic motivation variables. They showed the higher scores in the dispositional flow. Their moderate and low scores were in the extrinsic motivation, amotivation and ego climate variables. The “poorly motivated profile” showed moderate scores in the ego climate variable and low scores in the rest of variables. Their higher score was in amotivation. One interesting result was that when the demands of competitiveness were higher, the motivational profile was more negative. Key Words: motivation, self-determination, motivational climate, flow, lifesaving sport.