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Does keeping score matter : the relationship between parents' achievement goals, attitudes about winning, and game behavior

The purpose of this study was to examine parents' achievement goal orientations, attitudes about winning, and game behaviors between a youth basketball league that kept score and a youth basketball league that did not keep score. Specifically, this study sought to answer four research hypotheses. First, this study hypothesized that parental achievement goal orientation would have a significant positive relationship with type of league. Second, parents' attitudes about winning would have a positive significant relationship with type of league. Third, a significant difference would emerge between attitudes about winning and achievement goal orientations in each league. Finally, it was hypothesized that the scoring league would demonstrate significantly more negative parental behaviors than parents in the non-scoring league.A sample of 69 parents/guardians in the non-scoring league, and 42 parents/guardians in the scoring league, participated in this study. Parents' behavior was observed and recorded over four games in each league. During the final games in each league, parents were given a series of questionnaires assessing descriptive information, achievement goals, and attitudes about winning.Results using Pearson Correlations (p<.05) suggested there was no relationship between parent's achievement goals and league type, but a significant relationship did exist between parents' attitudes about winning and league type. These results indicate that although both leagues were primarily task oriented, the scoring league parents valued the concept of winning more than the non-scoring league. Additionally, a 2 x 2 x 2 Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed a significant main effect (F=7.836, p<.0001) between parents' attitudes about winning, achievement goals, and league, confirming a difference in parental responses between each league. Because the behaviors observed in both leagues was overwhelmingly positive, parental behavior in this study did not differ according to positive or negative behaviors. Parents in both leagues demonstrated overwhelmingly positive behaviors throughout the recording process. The non-scoring league, however, displayed significantly more positive nonverbal behaviors than the scoring league. From these results, it would appear that keeping score does matter in terms of its relationship to parents' values and behaviors. / School of Physical Education

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/187165
Date January 2001
CreatorsJohnson, James E.
ContributorsTammen, Vance V.
Source SetsBall State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Formatvii, 129 leaves : ill., facsims. ; 28 cm.
SourceVirtual Press

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