Gakh, R. V. (2025). Process motivation as a factor of sports activity self-regulation. European Scientific e-Journal, 37, __-__. Ostrava: Tuculart Edition & European Institute for Innovation Development.
Abstract:
In the modern sports environment, athletes’ motivation is a key factor that affects their performance, stress resistance, and ability to self-regulate. Of particular importance is procedural motivation, which focuses on the enjoyment of the process of sports activity and not only on achieving the final result or external rewards. At the same time, the study of its specificity and mechanisms of influence on self-regulation and performance of athletes remains insufficiently developed. The purpose is to analyse current approaches to the definition of procedural motivation, investigate the relationship between procedural motivation, self-regulation and performance in sport, and develop recommendations for increasing the level of procedural motivation as a tool for supporting self-regulation in athletes. The paper applies theoretical analysis of scientific sources, generalising modern approaches to studying motivation in sports activities. A systematic approach was also used to establish the relationship between procedural motivation, self-regulation and performance. The study confirmed that procedural motivation is an essential component of sports activity, which contributes to forming self-regulation skills, such as emotion control, concentration and adaptability to external conditions. Procedural motivation has been found to form athletes’ sustained interest in the training process, providing them with psychological stability in stressful situations and high involvement in sports activities. It has been determined that the effectiveness of procedural motivation depends on integrating personal and situational factors, including the coach’s style of work, training conditions and social interaction. The article substantiates the importance of procedural motivation in supporting self-regulation in athletes. Recommendations for coaches and psychologists are developed, which include the creation of a favourable emotional climate, the use of methods to stimulate intrinsic motivation, the provision of social support and the introduction of psychological training.
Keywords:
physical fitness, psychological stability, maintaining internal balance, emotional stress, goal achievement.