The relationship between motivation level and visual reaction performance in volleyball players
Keywords:
Cognitive-motor performance, motivation, visual reaction time, volleyballAbstract
Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between motivation levels and visual reaction performance in volleyball players, and to determine the predictive power of motivational subscales on visual reaction time. Method: A correlational design was adopted within a quantitative research framework. The sample comprised 71 volleyball players (22 male, 49 female) recruited through convenience sampling. Visual reaction time was measured using the Moart Visual Reaction Time Measurement Device; raw scores recorded in seconds (s) by the device were converted to milliseconds (ms) by multiplying by 1,000 prior to analysis. Motivation levels were assessed with the Sport Motivation Scale-II (SMS-II). Data were analysed using Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: Mean visual reaction time was 454.1 ms. Significant negative correlations were found between visual reaction time and intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, and integrated regulation, indicating that higher autonomous motivation was associated with faster responses. Amotivation showed a significant positive relationship with reaction time. The regression model explained a substantial proportion of the variance in visual reaction performance, with identified regulation and intrinsic motivation emerging as the strongest predictors. Conclusion: These findings suggest that autonomous motivational orientations may support cognitive-motor readiness, whereas amotivation corresponds to slower reaction times, underscoring the importance of integrating psychological support into athlete training contexts.
Downloads
References
Akarsu, S., Çalışkan, E., & Dane, Ş. (2009). Athletes have faster eye-hand visual reaction times and higher scores on visuospatial intelligence than nonathletes. Turk J Med Sci, 39(6), 871–874. https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-0806-14
Altıntaş, A., Kelecek, S., & Aşçı, F. H. (2013). Relationships between situational motivation and flow experience in elite athletes. Pamukkale Journal of Sport Sciences, 4(4), 14–21.
Büyüköztürk, Ş., Kılıç Çakmak, E., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2020). Eğitimde bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri (28th ed.). Pegem Akademi. (In Turkish)
Calvo-Cervelló, E., Cervelló, E., Jiménez, R., Iglesias, D., & Murcia, J. A. M. (2010). Using self-determination theory to explain sport persistence and dropout in adolescent athletes. Span J Psychol, 13(2), 677–684. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1138741600002341
Cousineau, D., & Chartier, S. (2010). Outliers detection and treatment: A review. International Journal of Psychological Research, 3(1), 58–67. https://doi.org/10.21500/20112084.844
Dane, S., Hazar, F., & Tan, U. (2008). Correlations between eye-hand reaction time and power of various muscles in badminton players. Int J Neurosci, 118(3), 349–354. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207450701593079
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Demir, H. (2022). Validity and reliability of motivation scale in sports: Turkish Adaptation Study. The Journal of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 20(4), 56-68. https://doi.org/10.33689/spormetre.1062454
Engür, M. (2002). The effect of achievement motivation on state anxiety in elite athletes Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Ege University, Izmir.
Erdem, O., & Çakmak Yıldızhan, Y. (2024). Examining the relationship between athletes' basic psychological needs and sport achievement motivation. Journal of ROL Sport Sciences, 5(4), 733–749. https://doi.org/10.70736/jrolss.475
Erdoğan, R., Tel, M., & Eren, A. (2020). Effect of competition period training on volleyball players' physical fitness profiles. Gaziantep University Journal of Sport Science, 5(2), 194-206. https://doi.org/10.31680/gaunjss.732657
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A.-G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behav Res Methods, 39(2), 175–191. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193146
Güler, C. (2025). Motivation and commitment in sports: a study on athletes. Journal of Sports and Science, 3(1), 135-148.
Hagger, M. S., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. D. (2007). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in exercise and sport. Human Kinetics.
İlhan, A., Gümüşdağ, H., & Kırkaya, İ. (2021). The relationship between motivation and optimal performance emotional state in tennis players. International Refereed Academic Journal of Sports, Health and Medical Sciences. https://doi.org/10.17363/sstb.2020/ABC89/.38.2
Kaplan, D. S., Akcan, F., Yıldırım, C., Özdal, M., Kısak, A. P., & Biçer, M. (2018). Acute effect of anaerobic exercise on simple visual and auditory reaction times in team sports athletes. Journal of Sports and Performance Researches, 9(3), 206-215. https://doi.org/10.17155/omuspd.385837
Karasar, N. (2023). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemi: Kavramlar ilkeler teknikler (39th ed.). Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık. (In Turkish)
Kazak, Z. (2004). A study on rellabillty and valldity of "the Sport Motivation Scale -SMS-" for turkish athletes. Journal of Sport Sciences, 15(4), 191-206.
Lourenço, J., Almagro, B. J., Carmona-Márquez, J., & Sáenz-López, P. (2022). Predicting perceived sport performance via self-determination theory. Percept Mot Skills, 129(5), 1563–1580. https://doi.org/10.1177/00315125221119121
Mroczek, D., Kawczyński, A., & Chmura, J. (2011). Changes of reaction time and blood lactate concentration of elite volleyball players during a game. J Hum Kinet, 28, 73. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10078-011-0024-y
Ntoumanis, N. (2001). A self-determination approach to the understanding of motivation in physical education. Br J Educ Psychol, 71(2), 225–242. https://doi.org/10.1348/000709901158497
Nuri, L., Shadmehr, A., Ghotbi, N., & Attarbashi Moghadam, B. (2013). Reaction time and anticipatory skill of athletes in open and closed skill-dominated sport. Eur J Sport Sci, 13(5), 431-436. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2012.738712
Öcal, K., & Sakallı, D. (2018). Turkish adaptation of the Sport Motivation Scale II (SMS-II): Procedures of validity and reliability. International Journal of Sports Exercise & Training Sciences, 4(1), 39–48. https://doi.org/10.18826/useeabd.327789
Pelletier, L. G., Rocchi, M. A., Vallerand, R. J., Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2013). Validation of the revised Sport Motivation Scale (SMS-II). Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(3), 329–341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2012.12.002
Piras, A., Lobietti, R., & Squatrito, S. (2014). Response time, visual search strategy, and anticipatory skills in volleyball players. J Ophthalmo, 2014, 189268. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/189268
Raczek, J., Mynarski, W., & Ljach, W. (2003). Shaping and diagnosis of coordination motor abilities. Katowice, AWF Publishing House.
Ratcliff, R. (1993). Methods for dealing with reaction time outliers. Psychol Bull, 114(3), 510–532. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.114.3.510
Reigal, R. E., Barrero, S., Martín, I., Morales-Sánchez, V., Juárez-Ruiz de Mier, R., & Hernández-Mendo, A. (2019). Relationships between reaction time, selective attention, physical activity, and physical fitness in children. Front Psychol, 10, 2278. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02278
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000a). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Am Psychol, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000b). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemp Educ Psychol, 25(1), 54–67. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1020
Shelton, J., & Kumar, G. P. (2010). Comparison between auditory and visual simple reaction times. Neuroscience & Medicine, 1(1), 30–32. https://doi.org/10.4236/nm.2010.11004
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Pearson.
Vallerand, R. J. (1997). Toward a hierarchical model of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Adv Exp Soc Psychol, 29, 271–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60019-2
Yıldız, A., Altıntaş, A., Elmas, S., & Aşçı, H. (2019). Examination of the psychometric properties of the Sport Motivation Scale-II. Turkish Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(1), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.47447/tjsm.0098
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Şinasi Özsaydı, Banu Kabak, Yaşar Tunç, Özlem Sinem Uslu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a 