Achievement Goals and Emotions in Team Sport Athletes

In the present study we examined the relationships between task involvement and a range of emotions and whether these associations were mediated by perceived performance. Also, we assessed whether the relationships between ego involvement and emotions were moderated by perceived performance and outcome of the match. After a competitive match, team sport athletes (N = 358) completed a multisection questionnaire measuring task and ego involvement, perceived performance, outcome of the match, happiness, pride, hope, dejection, and shame. Results showed that task involvement was related to happiness, pride, and hope positively and dejection and shame negatively, and these relationships were mediated by perceived performance. Perceived performance moderated the relationships between ego involvement and hope, dejection, and shame, whereas outcome of the match moderated the relationships between ego involvement and pride, hope, and dejection. These findings suggest that task involvement may influence emotions through perceived performance, whereas the relationship between ego involvement and emotions depends on perceptions of performance and match outcome.