Motivation in sport and exercise groups

Motivation is evident in all human actions, encompassing essential functions, behaviors that one must do, and actions that are selectively engaged. This chapter reviews past Self-Determination Theory (SDT) -related research with a keen eye toward applying these findings to group Physical activity (PA) settings. Within SDT a differentiated perspective of motivation is used to distinguish between behavioral regulations that differ in defining features and inherent quality. Intrinsic motivation is the prototype of autonomous regulation and refers to when people are fully self-regulated, engage in activities out of interest, experience a sense of volition, and function without the aid of external rewards and/or constraints. A typology of extrinsic motivation is used within SDT in which motivational regulations are quantified as being more, or less, reflective of oneself. The social context that peers create represents a promising avenue of enquiry for group-related concerns within and across PA settings.