Date of Award

Summer 8-2012

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Chair

Dennis Phillips

Committee Chair Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Member 2

Michael Carroll

Committee Member 2 Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Member 3

Brian Gearity

Committee Member 3 Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Member 4

Dan Drane

Committee Member 4 Department

Human Performance and Recreation

Committee Member 5

James T. Johnson

Abstract

Consumer motivation, “the driving force within individuals that impels them to action” (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2004, p. 87), assists in identifying why consumers attend sporting events, and if they plan to repatriate or consume merchandise and media (Byon, Cottingham, & Carroll, 2010; Kim, Greenwell, Andrew, Lee, & Mahony, 2008). The Motivation Scale for Sport Consumption (MSSC) (Trail & James, 2001), consisting of factors that identify specific consumer motives (Trail & James, 2001; Wann, 1995), was tested in the context of disability sport (Byon, Carroll, Cottingham, Grady, & Allen, 2011; Byon et al., 2010) but did not take into account motives specific to disability. To better understand consumer motivation in this context, the purpose of this study is to detect motives specific to disability and test them in concert with the MSSC to develop a disability-specific motivation scale, the Motivation Scale for Disability Sport Consumption (MSDSC), then determine what motives are predictor variables for repatriation intentions, intended merchandise purchase and intended media consumption.

In the context of the 2011 collegiate wheelchair basketball championships, three disability-specific motives were recognized, including cultural education, inspiration and the supercrip image; items were developed to represent these factors. Violence was also examined due to the perceived juxtaposition of violence and disability. These factors were combined with those from the most recent version of the MSSC (Trail, 2010): (a) acquisition of knowledge, (b) escape, (c) social interaction, (d) attraction, (e) drama, (f) physical skill, and (g) aggression and violence (Kim et al., 2008).

Data from a pilot study was analyzed first by exploratory factor analysis, followed by a full data analysis including exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. A finalized model of motivation consists of nine factors: inspiration, violent aggression, acquisition of knowledge, supercrip image, escape, social interaction, physical attraction, and drama and physical skill/aesthetics.

Three multiple regression analyses determined that four factors (acquisition of knowledge, escape, physical skill/aesthetics and social interaction) are significant predictor motives for repatriation intentions, intended merchandise purchase and intended media consumption. As these are the most impactful predictor variables, practitioners should promote images related to these motives to increase consumption.

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