Trait motivational correlates of athleticism

Two approaches for studying sports motivation — personality theory and motivation theory — were combined in a novel way that permitted an assessment of individual differences in 15 motivational traits. The Reiss Profile of Fundamental Goals and Motivational Sensitivities was administered to college students (n=415) who had participated in zero, one, or two or more varsity sports at high school or college levels. How many sports a student participated in, called athleticism, was found to be associated with motivational traits for physical exercise (P<0.001), social contact (P<0.01), family life/raising children (P<0.001), vengeance/competition (P<0.06), power/achievement (P<0.04), and with low curiosity (P<0.01). The results supported the relevance of Reiss’s motives for studying sports motivation.