Why Do We Make Sport: the Importance of Psycho-Social Motivations in Adult Sports Participation

Abstract

This study is swayed by the idea of how people might be motivated to engage in different types of sports, and how enduring these motivations might be. The importance of the research question stems from an observable trend among people who are willing to experience different sports for the sake of fun and pleasure, as well as an academic need to develop a better understanding of the physical, psychological, and social factors that shape people’ sports choices. With this purpose, this study summarizes the results of a questionnaire asking 242 respondents the extent to which they are motivated by each single motive listed. General descriptive results do not explain much of sport behavior; however multinomial regression, exploring a causal link between motivation types and sports types reveals more informative conclusions. Results emphasize the importance of a psycho-social account of sports participation since health is found to be an insignificant motivator.