How do profiles of teachers’ autonomy-supportive, structuring, and controlling style relate to student motivation?
Year: 2023
Type: conference-abstract
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Building on the Self-Determination Theory, this study investigated the degree to which PE teachers combine different need-supportive and need-thwarting styles. In a sample of high school students (n = 673), this study examined how teachers combine autonomy-supportive and structuring styles (i.e., need-supportive) with a controlling style. Based on k-means cluster analyses, six different profiles were identified: “Outspoken Need-Supportive”, “High Need-Supportive and Controlling”, “Relatively Moderate Need-Supportive”, “Relatively High Structuring”, “Low Need-Supportive and Controlling”, and “Relatively Controlling”. Students in the “Outspoken Need-Supportive” group displayed the highest levels of autonomous motivation and the lowest levels of controlled motivation. Instead, students in the “Relatively Controlling” group displayed an opposite pattern. The other profiles fell in between. Results further showed that students in the “High Need-Supportive and Controlling” group displayed higher external regulation and amotivation, in comparison to the “Outspoken Need-Supportive” group. So, even when the teacher is additionally perceived as autonomy-supportive and structuring, the detrimental effect of a perceived controlling style is evident. Interestingly, the profile “High Need-Supportive and Controlling” and the profile “Low Need-Supportive and Controlling” yielded respectively the highest and lowest introjected regulation. In conclusion, according to the students, PE teachers rely on different combinations of need-supportive and need-thwarting styles to different degrees. When students perceive their PE teachers as highly autonomy-supportive and structuring and lowly controlling, this generates the most optimal motivational outcomes.
Authors: Fierro-Suero, Sebastián, Van Doren, Nele, De Cocker, Katrien, Haerens, Leen
Institution: Ghent University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7010461185