Abstract

Motivational differences are reported when three performance levels of male tennis players are compared on variables from Butts (1987) Sport Protocol. The 46 participants in the study represent: 1) an elite group of players of Davis Cup calibre (current or ex-Davis Cup players); 2) a university competitive tennis team; and 3) a group of recreational players. The psychometric properties of scales and their intercorrelations are reported. Multiple-range tests yield significantly different levels of ambition, aggression, competence, competition and control between the groups (eta2 range from .20 to .48) with the elite group scoring most highly on all variables. The implications of the study for both theory development and applied sport psychology are discussed. Verf.-Referat