The Temporal Ordering of Motivation and Self-Control: A Cross-Lagged Effects Model

Abstract

Mechanisms leading to cognitive energy depletion in performance settings such as high-level sports highlight likely associations between individuals’ self-control capacity and their motivation. Investigating the temporal ordering of these concepts combining self-determination theory and psychosocial self-control theories, the authors hypothesized that athletes’ self-control capacity would be more influenced by their motivation than vice versa and that autonomous and controlled types of motivation would predict self-control capacity positively and negatively, respectively. High-level winter-sport athletes from Norwegian elite sport colleges (N = 321; 16–20 years) consented to participate. Using Bayesian structural equation modeling and 3-wave analyses, findings revealed credible self-control → motivation → self-control cross-lagged effects. Athletes’ trait self-control especially initiated the temporal ordering of the least controlled types of motivation (i.e., intrinsic, integrated, and amotivation). Findings indicate that practicing self-control competencies and promoting athletes’ autonomous types of motivation are important components in the development toward the elite level. These components will help athletes maintain their persistent goal striving by increasing the value and inherent satisfaction of the development process, avoiding the debilitating effects of self-control depletion and exhaustion.

The relationships among career maturity, motivation, and self‐regulation: A longitudinal study

“…First, the results of cross‐lagged modeling suggest that self‐regulation precedes amotivation and intrinsic motivation and has a reciprocal relationship with external regulation. This is inconsistent with a previous study (Jordalen et al., 2019) reporting significant reciprocal effects of self‐control and intrinsic motivation among youth athletes aged 16–20 years. Considering that participants in the current study were Korean adolescents from ages 12 to 17 years, more research is needed to examine the reciprocal relationship between motivation and self‐regulation in various age groups.…”

“…J. Cho and Kang (2017) reported a positive correlation between self‐regulation and motivation in their cross‐sectional study, while Jordalen et al. (2019) reported significant cross‐lagged effects of athletes’ self‐control and motivation.…”

“…(2017) reported that self‐directed learning has a significant influence on career maturity during adolescence. Finally, a few studies (J. Cho & Kang, 2017; Jordalen et al., 2019) examined an association between self‐regulation and motivation. J. Cho and Kang (2017) reported a positive correlation between self‐regulation and motivation in their cross‐sectional study, while Jordalen et al.…”

“…Finally, a few studies (J. Cho & Kang, 2017;Jordalen et al, 2019) examined an association between self-regulation and motivation. J.…”

The Optimization Model of College Students’ Physical Exercise Motivation and Self-control Ability Based on the Mathematical Model of Probability Theory

“…Self-management is a series of behaviors by individuals actively setting goals, taking actions, monitoring and evaluating their performance, and making corresponding adjustments. These behaviors help individuals shape the process of their destiny [2]. This study believes that physical exercise behavior is a kind of physical activity carried out by individuals voluntarily.…”