Verification of Mediated Effect of Athletic Ability Beliefs in the Relations between Learning Environments Perceived in the Physical Education (PE) Class and Task Persistence

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to inquire into the mediated effect of athletic ability beliefs in the relations between the PE learning environments perceived in the PE class and task persistence. Methods/Statistical Analysis: To achieve such a research purpose, this study selected a total of 418 copies as final valid sample using convenience sampling of junior high school students at the five schools located in a metropolitan area. As for data processing, this study implemented hypothesis testing after confirming the goodness of fit test of the whole model using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0. Findings: First, effort and challenge perception in PE learning environment was confirmed to have a positive influence on increased beliefs while competence perception was found to have a negative influence on fixed beliefs and threat perception was found to have a positive influence on entity belief. Second, it was found that increased beliefs in athletic ability beliefs had a significant influence on task persistence positively while entity belief didn’t have a significant influence on task persistence. Third, it was found that effort, challenge perception, and competence perception of learning environment had a positive influence on task persistence. Lastly, it was confirmed that increased beliefs in the relations between effort, challenge perception and task persistence of learning environment play a mediating role. Improvements/Applications: This study confirmed that students’ aggressive class participation behavior calls for the learning environment, which is challenging, and makes it possible for students to put in a great deal of effort for their learning process, and a positive belief and volition that students themselves can do it in the results of this research.