The effect of motivational climate and conscientiousness on athletes’ maximal voluntary contraction level of biceps brachii muscle

We investigated the effect of induced motivational climates (a mastery climate and a performance climate) on maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) level of the biceps brachii muscle. We also aimed to explore whether motivational orientations, together with conscientiousness, are associated with MVC level in mastery and performance climate conditions. The sample consisted of 53 college student athletes ranging in age from 20 to 26. Participants first completed the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire and items relating to conscientiousness from the Short Form of the Five Factor Personality Inventory. Then, during isometric elbow flexion, MVCs were measured in a neutral condition. Afterwards, participants were informed of their MVC levels measured in the neutral condition via biofeedback software, and randomly assigned to either the mastery or the performance condition. Participants in the mastery climate condition were instructed to exceed their own highest MVC level observed in the neutral condition. In contrast, participants in the performance climate condition were instructed to exceed an unrealistic MVC level described as the best ever recorded so far. Results indicated that percentage change in MVC differed significantly between the mastery and performance climate conditions. Specifically, while there was a 13.5% increase in MVC value in the performance climate condition, there was an 8.8% decrease in the mastery climate condition. Results also showed that regardless of motivational climate, the percentage change in MVC was unrelated to motivational orientations and conscientiousness.