Flickor respektive pojkars motivation till fysisk aktivitet i skolan och på fritiden : Årskurs nio elevers motivation till fysisk aktivitet ur ett genusperspektiv

Sammanfattning: Aim: The aim of the study was to examine grade nine students’ motivation for physical activity in the school subject Physical education and in their leisure time from a motivational and gender perspective.  How motivated are girls respective boys to be physically active within and outside the school environment? Is there any difference in motivation between girls and boys? If there are differences: what factors affects girls’ and boys’ motivation for physical activity within and outside the school environment, and how can these differences be understood?  Method: The method of the study was quantitative where the data collection took place by means of surveys. The sample consisted of 104 students at a school in a medium-sized city where comparisons between boys and girls constitutes the result. All of the data was compiled and processed in Microsoft Excel and was then analysed based on Self-determination theory and Harding’s gender theory.  Result: The results of the study showed that there are both similarities and differences regarding girls’ and boys’ motivation for physical activity. Similarities that could be found were mainly that the majority of the students in both groups were physically active, regardless of whether it took place spontaneously or within an association. One of the differences was that more girls than boys which were active within an association in their leisure, while more boys considered that they were physically active with a higher degree of intensity compared to the girls. The groups also differed regarding how they were feeling during the lessons in physical education, where the girls to a greater extent experienced negative emotions, at the same time as the boys experienced positive emotions to a greater extent.  Conclusions: The differences which stand out in this study is mostly about the degree of physical activity, emotions regarding physical activity and self-determination. The boys experienced to a greater extent positive emotions associated with physical activity compared to the girls which in a greater extent experienced negative emotions. The emotions can thus strengthen or decrease the motivation to be physically active, which indicates that the boys become more motivated while the girls thus become less motivated. The boys also experienced more self-determination in comparison with the girls, which also indicates an increased motivation in the boys.