"Eagles Don'T Fly With Sparrows": Self-Determination Theory, African American Male Scholar-Athletes And Peer Group Influences On Motivation

Keywords

Academic achievement; African American; College athletics; Motivation; Student-athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore participants' academic experiences, their academic motivation and the role of peers on their academic achievement. Participants (N = 27) were comprised of high-achieving African American male student-athletes from four academically rigorous American universities on the West Coast. A majority of the participants competed in revenue-generating sports and were interviewed to obtain a deeper understanding of their academic motivations. Using a phenomenological approach, five major themes emerged: (a) "My Teammates Have a Flawed View of Success," (b) "That's When I Lost Confidence," (c) "Don't Believe the Hype," (d) "I Wouldn't Let Bad Associations Affect My Level of Success," and (e) "I Had to Take Control of My College Experience." Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is examined in relation to the findings. Recommendations for practitioners and scholars working with African American male student-athletes are also expressed.

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Publication Title

Journal of Negro Education

Volume

84

Issue

1

Number of Pages

80-93

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.7709/jnegroeducation.84.1.080

Socpus ID

84940651237 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84940651237

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