Achievement Goal Theory in Ping Pong

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Achievement Goal Theory Achievement Goal Theory in the Film Ping Pong Psychology of Sport Smith College November 27, 2012 The film Ping Pong depicts the action, determination, friendship and motivation involved with playing competitive table-tennis. Throughout the film, the main characters display a variety of motivational orientations and some even change their orientation during the film. Peco, the self-proclaimed hero of the film, is win-oriented while his friend Smile at first doesn’t seem to have any motivation at all. However, as the film progresses, Smile develops a task orientation. At the end of the film, the two opposing motivation orientations come head to head as Peco and Smile play each other in the final round of the ping-pong tournament, but it is ultimately Peco who emerges victorious because of his consistent motivation to win. From the beginning of Ping Pong, Peco is motivated by his desire to win and be the best table-tennis player in the world. He challenges people below his perceived ability to play him and then emphatically cheers loudly whenever he scores a point (4.05). According to the Achievement Goal Theory chart, one would expect Peco to demonstrate adaptive behavior since he is win-oriented and has high perceived ability in a win climate. However, when he plays China, who is well above his skill level, in his grandma’s ping-pong dojo, and loses, his true nature comes out to be maladaptive. After China “skunks” him, Peco is an emotional wreck, crying on the train ride with Smile (13.31). Eventually his sole focus on winning causes him to become so frustrated with the game that he quits the team. But with the help of his grandma, who establishes a harsh, yet task-oriented climate for training (1.05.57), he is able to get back to his true skill level. Under her instruction, Peco becomes even better than he was before and is able

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