An annotated bibliography has two parts:
The following abstract is written in APA style:
Mallett, C., & Hanrahan, S. (2004). Elite athletes: why does the 'fire' burn so brightly? Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 5, 183-200.
Mallett and Hanrahan attempted to use Self Determination Theory (STD), which identifies the social and contextual conditions that create a motivational climate, to discover what motivates elite athletes to perform at such a high level. Athletes usually experience either intrinsic or extrinsic motivational factors to inspire them to demonstrate their competence at an elite level. The authors conducted qualitative interviews with 11 track and field athletes (who had received medals in the Olympics and Commonwealth Games) to gather data on motivational forces. Data from these interviews indicated that all of the elite athletes were mainly intrinsically motivated. They were highly driven by personal goals; had strong self belief; and, their sport was central to their lives. From the findings of this study, Mallett and Hanrahan concluded that when elite athletes accomplished their goals, it enhanced their perception of their competence, which positively influenced self determined motivation. Although the study supported earlier research in the area, the authors acknowledged that further studies on motivational influences are necessary to provide more substantial documentation. Written by Caroline Thompson, Librarian, UWF Libraries.