Consequence of winning: Interdisciplinary analysis for deontological perspectives of moral function and the interaction with motivation in Division I college athletes

Abstract

This is a pilot study of a proposed model for examining the main and interactionist effects of achievement goal orientations on moral function and the role of perceived ability as a potential moderator in sport morality levels through cluster analysis procedures. One hundred and three elite (103) athletes participating in Division I wrestling completed the Task Ego Orientation in Sport Competition Questionnaire (TEOSQ-COMP; Harwood, 2002), Perceived Ability Inventory Subscale (PAI; Lemyre, et al., 2002), and Hahm-Beller Values Choice Inventory (HBVCI; Hahm, Beller, & Stoll, 1989). Analysis of motivation involved the investigation of motivation from a goal profile standpoint through cluster analysis. Cluster analysis revealed three emergent goal profile combinations: Cluster 1 – High-Ego/Moderate Task; Cluster 2 – Low-Ego/Moderate-Task; Cluster 3 – Moderate-Ego/High-Task. The emergent cluster profiles were then examined for between group interaction effects of goal orientation and perceived ability upon moral function. ANOVA revealed strong interactions between ego orientation and moral function for Clusters 1 and 2, but not at significant effect. As well the moderating interaction of perceived ability upon moral function for Clusters 1 and 2 was strong, but again not at significant levels. These findings help encourage dialogue about the impact the motivational climate of Division I Athletics has upon its participants. By building upon the investigation of competition as a contextualized variable of impact on motivation and moral function (Harwood, 2002; van de Pol & Kavussanu, 2012), this study proposes a more advanced model for investigating the interactionist effect between these two and the motivational climate of Division I sport.