Complex Beginnings: Initial formal engagement in sport and music

Susan Beltman

Curtin University of TechnologyS.Beltman@curtin.edu.au

Background

Nature-nurture; person-context debate (Barab & Plucker, 2002; Howe, Davidson & Sloboda, 1998)

Importance of quality programs and structured, deliberate individual practice (Ericsson, 1996)

Sociocultural approach to development of motivational constructs such as interest (Pressick-Kilborn & Walker, 2004)

Motivation seen as engagement, participation and persistence

Extra research

family and friends: important role in initial engagement in domains such as sport, music, drama, dance + art (Davidson et al., 1997; Patrick et al., 1999)

sport talent identification programs should not be based solely on presence of individual physical and psychological characteristics; deliberate practice + other domain activities crucial for elite athletes (Helsen et al, 2000; Williams & Reilly, 2000)

in development of musical skills, individual cognitive ability alone is insufficient; motivational, social and educational factors also involved (O'Neill, 1997)

Research questions

What characteristics of persons and of contexts are important in engagement in sport and music?

What is the nature of the interrelationship between these characteristics?

Participants

age sport music

male female male female totals

15-16y 3 4 4 4 15 teens

20-31y 4 4 4 3 15 adults

totals 7 8 8 7 15m 15f

15 sport 15 music n=30

Method

Two interviews over 12 months Time-Line Task in Interview 1 Asked how they started in sport and music Asked to describe major activities and

involvement during preschool (0-5), primary(6-12), secondary(13-17), early adult (18-21) and later adult (21+) years

Personal factors

a) Interest, aptitude or preference expressed or demonstrated

b) Willingness to accept invitation/openness to alternatives

c) Physical characteristics including age

Contextual factors (family/friends; community/school)

a) Environment conducive to sport or music

b) Invitation or recognition and acting on expressed interest, aptitude or preference

c) Resources available and provided to support individual’s involvement

Personal

Factors

Conducive Environment

Invitation Resources

Interest,aptitude

Open toalternatives

Physicalcharacteristics

Contextual Factors

Person-Context Matrix

Initial engagement with sport or music

Tania: “I was musical”; gifts of toy instruments and parents offered violin

Theresa: wanted to learn; family and school supported learning violin, piano and cello

Christine: minkey available when too young for hockey

Brad: “obsessed” with football; brothers played with him

Change of focus

Mary: tried many different sports available in high school and university

Brett: looking for alternative; sister and coach introduced to rowing

Jon: couldn’t play flute but accepted teacher offer of clarinet

Moira: loved sports but not suited until friend invited to row

Reciprocal Person-Context Relationship

Individuals make appraisals of themselves + specific sports or instruments and related communities

If positive then engagement occurs Contexts also appraise individuals If positive then interest cultivated, invitations

made or resources and support provided

Dynamic Person-Context Relationship

As individuals developed physically, met new peers and entered different contexts, interests and abilities changed and new opportunities and resources became available

Over half the participants changed their major focus

Issues

Issues associated with self-reports (Galbo & Mayer Demtrulias, 1996)

e.g. Data focused on participants’ recollected reasons for initial engagement; need corroboration from parents, teachers etc

But also a strength – rich data (de Groot, 2002; Lemos, 2001)

Overall findings

Personal and contextual factors operated in a reciprocal, dynamic way to shape engagement in sport and music

Same factors relevant for initial engagement and change of focus

Relative importance or presence of each factor different for different individuals

Consistent with other Research

Importance of interest in engagement, involvement and persistence (e.g. Ainley et al, 2003; Pekrun et al, 2002)

Need to consider physical factors in motivation (Williams & Reilly, 2000)

Importance of family in development of talent (Freeman, 2000; Sloane, 1985)

Importance of considering individual situations in motivation (e.g. Hallam, 1997; Lemos, 2001; MacCallum, 1997)

Implications for other domains

exploration of relationship between personal and contextual characteristics in areas such as homework, subject selection, workplace satisfaction could provide an understanding of people’s level of engagement in these activities

consideration of the whole person in multiple contexts needed to fully understand motivation – that includes initial engagement (MacCallum, 2001a, 2001b; Mansfield, 2004)