The Effects of High School Soccer Competitive Team Selection on Athletic Identity, Expectations for Success and Subjective Task Value

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between athletic identity and two variables from the expectancy-value theory, expectations for success and subjective task value, in the context of high school soccer competitive team selection. The quantitative research design integrated historical and emerging theoretical perspectives on identity development in an effort to add insight to the relationships between the theoretical perspectives. The quasi-experimental research design included the self-administration of paper and pencil questionnaires on three occasions over the course of approximately four weeks. Males and females competing for selection to their high school soccer teams in Central Florida comprised the study sample. Significant positive correlations were found between participants’ athletic identity, expectations for success and subjective task value throughout competitive team selection. Participants’ athletic identity remained relatively stable over time; yet, significant increases in expectations for success and significant decreases for subjective task value were detected. Additional findings were: the varsity’s athletic identity and expectations for success were significantly higher than junior varsity and not selected groups; the female junior-varsity’s subjective task value was significantly lower than female-varsity and male-junior varsity groups; seniors reported higher expectations for success than freshmen; the upper division reported higher expectations for success than the lower division, whereas, the lower division reported higher subjective task value than the upper division. In consideration of the study’s limitations, recommendations for the field and for future research are provided. The findings provide a basis to forge an empirical connection between the construct of athletic identity and the expectancy-value theory model of achievement-related behavior in a sports domain. Moreover, the lack of significant gender differences may indicate that socially supportive environments may foster female athleticism, including confirmation of athletic identity and sport-related expectations for success.