The effects of motivation on performance of individuals possessing selected personality characteristics

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the performance of an anaerobic task was affected by selected motivational techniques and whether the performance scores are related to selected personality factors. It was also the purpose of this study to determine if any performance differences brought about by the various motivational techniques were significantly different for Athletes and Non-Athletes. [Procedure] Six hundred and fifty male college freshmen completed a questionnaire constructed of thirty-five items from the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. Using the scores obtained on this questionnaire as criteria, one hundred and twenty subjects were selected, thirty representing each of the personality factors Schizothymia, Dominance, and Self-sufficiency, and thirty subjects representing the Control group. The subjects selected for this study were also identified as being either Athletes or Non-Athletes. Each subject was scheduled to meet with the investigator once a week for three consecutive weeks. At each meeting the subject was asked to perform a one minute all-out ride on the bicycle ergometer. The scores for each test were recorded in total pedal revolutions accumulated for the one minute period. Each test was performed under a different motivational technique. The three motivational techniques used in this investigation were: simple task instruction, simple task instruction and verbal reinforcement, and simple task instruction and competition. ...