Passer de la motivation à l’engagement : réflexion sur la notion de contrôle comportemental et démarche initiale du développement de l’échelle de la tendance à s’activer (ETA)

Abstract

A myriad of research findings identifies motivation as a very strong predictor of behavior. However, motivation alone is not enough to commit the individual to the desired behavior. In order to better understand the process by which an individual maintains control over a motivated behavior until it is put into action, the literature on the concept of behavioral control was consulted, revealing two main conceptualizations: that of the Locus of Control and the Perception of Behavioral Control. These are not consistent with the one suspected by the authors of the present study, namely the tendency to do what one has planned to do. With this in mind, a short Likert-type scale was developed to compare this ideation with items from the two conceptualizations identified in the literature with French-speaking post-secondary students. The results of this initial exploration indicate good psychometric qualities for the four items of the Tendency to Activate Scale (TAS). Suggestions are made for additional validation steps to affirm the reliability of the ATS. The scale is discussed in terms of the needs that justified its development and its potential for the development of educational interventions.

Keywords

• Canada
• sports and education physical
• learners' skills and behaviours