STUDENTS THOUGHT PROCESSES IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION: A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study examines students thought processes in Physical Education (attention during classes, orientation of target achievement, causal attributions of results, attitudes towards discipline, competence perception, perception of  the discipline’s goal’s, degree of satisfaction towards classes). This study involved 198 students from the 9th grade. Data were collected by use of questionnaires. The results show that students have: i) high levels of attention during classes, ii) a stronger orientation to the ego than to the task; iii) a favorable attitude towards PE iv) a good perception of competence in PE v) a high level of satisfaction regarding PE classes vi) the variables examined did not vary according to students socio-economic background; vii) there are significant differences in ego orientation, competence perception in PE among female students and male students viii) the variables of thought processes are, in general, positively and significantly correlated.