In his psychosocial hypothesis, Erikson indicated that development process lasts for a life time. He divided human life into eight phases, and in each part, he identified psychosocial duties that an individual must make real. If these duties are successfully, then there will be positive qualities added and also a big progress made in the psychosocial development. If the duty is not successfully, then there will be poor solution. Personality and development will also be affected negatively (Erikson, 1963; 1968). The evaluation of identity development and the ability to discover the inner processes separately lead to positive results of identity development process (Bosna, 1992). While one of the most important determinants of college students’ academic attitudes is success tendency, the other important thing that developmentally guides them to make many decisions and choices is identity statute. Formed in the frame of Erikson’s psychosocial development hypothesis (Marcia, 1964; 1966), the identity statute hypothesis states whether there is a link in developmental living or not and also identifies four different identity statutes in terms of ideologic and interpersonal areas. It identifies four important identity statutes’ that are shaped with two principles; crisis and commitment. Crisis entails the process that includes individuals’ choices in the past, questioning their beliefs. Commitment indicates individuals’ efforts for the alternatives that they choose and levels of their invest-ments. In other words, commitment shows individuals’ loyalty to their aims, values and beliefs. According to these two principles, existence or absence adolescents will be promoted to one of the four important identity statutes like; successful, encumbered, dispersed or suspended (Marcia, 1980). Meaning of the encumbered identity is; without showing a sign that individuals pass a crisis, they commit to some values, principles and beliefs without testing them (Adams, 1999). Successful identity status meaning is; individuals’ commitment to values that they choose, principles and beliefs in terms of experiencing of crises. Suspended identity means individuals’ experiences of crises; and although they do research on the principles, values and beliefs, they are already committed to these. Finally, for dispersed identity; individuals do not specify their beliefs, values and aims and in terms of this they do not commit to their aims (Adams, 1999). It associates academic disadvantages with the decisions that are not made over life-sustaining issues such as religious, ideological, vocational and sexual issues; and to reach these decisions certain behaviors come into play such as dispersiveness, postponement attitude (Shanahan and Pychyl, 2007) and adapting the non-adaptive decision making styles (Bacanlı, 2012).On the other hand, it associates success status with vital subjects, like whether there is failure in self-respect protector characteristic (Marcia, 1967), logical decision making style (Bacanlı, 2012) and academic success. One of the most important determinants of the university students’ life quality is their level of preparation for vocational success; and whether they can accomplish their academic goals at the university or not depends on their success tendencies. According to the success tendencies approach, conceptualized by Dweck  et  al.  (Ames,  1992;  Dweck  and  Legget,  1998; Nicholls, 1984), there are three academic goals for students’ learning and for the required materials: academic duties in any education environment, learning, approach to performance and avoidance of performance tendencies. Success tendencies sub dimensions (learning aim orientation, performance aim orientation, tendency to performance and avoiding performance orientations) entail analyzing the acquired information truly by the teachers; behaviors of individuals at this sub dimensions need to be known. When we consider these sub conditions first one is learning aim orientation. According to Akın (2006), “Learning aim orientation is associated with the desire of the student to understand material completely and his/her wish for having a good command of the subject.” Individuals who have this orientation have these characteristics (Akın, 2006:56; Dweck and Leggett, 1988).

· They use Deep cognitive strategies,

· They do not run from the difficulties that they come across,

· They have high motivation,

· They are enthusiastic for the works they will do,

· They know what they will do with the works and they assimilate them.

· They take easy works instead of difficult ones.

· They do not give up under difficulties.

Ones who have the Tend to Performance orientation;  

· They seem wise and talented,  

· They avoid being untalented,  

· They work much more than people around them,

· They avoid negative judgement,  

· They generally cannot be motivated internally,

· They do not run from any work they failed, (Akın, 2006)

In Avoiding Performance Aim Orientations students, they show “avoidence” behavior in classroom or in another study area to their family, teachers and other people around them. After all they express the “tending” behavior to show they are talented to the people around them (Dinç, 2010:663; Morris and Kavussanu, 2008).

Learning tendency is the students’ basic aim to learn the contents that they have and acquire the related knowledge and skills. Approach to performance entails the students having big success in the acquisition of the learning materials and having academic superiority and competence compared to others. Avoidance performance tendency includes behaviors such as escaping from responsibility and having passing grade with minimum effort. When the body of the literature is scanned on the identity  statutes,  Oskay  (1997)   did   a   study   on   the students of Faculty of Education, Faculty of Fine Art, Engineering and Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences. And Morsünbül (2013) did a study on the students of Faculty of Education. Tendency to success study was done on students who study at the Faculty of Education. Akın and Çetin (2007) and Ä°zci and Koç (2012) did a study  on Faculty of Arts students, Faculty of Science and students who study pedagogical formation in the area of social sciences. There is no study on Physical Education and Sports Teaching programme. These studies come up with the importance of identity statutes and success tendencies. In the body of literature both identity statutes and success tendencies have proved the rightness of close relationships with academic variances. Based on these studies, it is aimed to reveal the relationship of the students’ identity statutes and success tendencies who study at Physical Education and Sports Teaching Department. 

Model of the research

The research is based on relational scanning model. Relational research shows the relationship of one or more variances, to understand well the results (Büyüköztürk et al., 2010; Karasar, 2005).

Research group

There are 2984 students who study at the universities of 4 geographic regions of Physical Education and Sports Teaching Programme. In this geographic region,  there are 5 universities chosen with more students: Ericyes, Mehmet Akif Ersoy, Abant Ä°zzet Baysal University’s Sports Teaching program; out of 711 of the students, 655 were chosen to be the sample of this study; 74 of the students’ scale is considered invalid. 581 of the students’ scales were taken for evaluation and sample group was formed.

Data collection tools

Demographic Ä°nformation Form  (Independent variances form)

The survey, which was developed by the researcher to gather information on the study’s independent variances, consisted of 6 item: age, gender, department, class, weekly study hours and general weighted grade average.

Elaborated objective ego identity statutes scale (EOM-EIS)

EOEIS scale, which was developed by Marcia (1966), edited and prepared by Bennion and Adams (1986), then adapted to Turkish by Oskay (1998) was used in the research. This scale consisted of 64 questions and distinguished 4 identity statutes: successful, moratorium,    encumbered,   dispersiveness   identities.    Students specifies their answers on a Likert Scale: 1= “certainly do not agree”, 2=”Almost do not agree”, 3=”Sometimes do not agree”, 4=”Sometimes agree”, 5=”Almost agree”, 6=”Certainly agree”. EOM-EIS’ four scales’ Cronbach Alpha’s coefficient that are about ideological area; for the successful identity status 59, searching for the identity status 62, dependent identity status 71 and for the identity complexity 38. For the interpersonal relationships Crobach Alpha coefficient for the successful identity status 66, searching for identity 57, dependent identity status 84 and identity complexity status 57 (Oskay, 1998).

Success tendency scale

In the research data colleciton device used was “Success Tendencies Scale” which is empowered by Midgley et al. (1998.9) and adapted to Turkish by Akın and Çetin (2007). Success Tendencies Scale’s original forum consisted of 18 quesitons and its first six points tend to performance (TP); the last six points consisted of avoiding performance (AP). Success Tendencies which is used in the study consisted of 17 points. This Scale’s 17 points consisted of ;  1-6 points success tendencies 7-12 tendency to performance and 13-17 avoiding performance. The Scale has a 5 Likert grading scale like ; “1= Never”, “2=Rarely”, “3=Oftenly”, “4= Generally” and “5=Always”. This Scale was adapted to Turkish and for its Cronbach Alpha consistency it is determined that for the tend to success 77, tend to performance 79 and avoiding  performance 78.  For the Cronbach Alpha’s secure coefficients; learning tendency 87, tend to performance 89 and avoiding performance it is 85.

Analysis of the data

The data, which were acquired from the participants, were analyzed with SPSS 20 package. In the descriptive analysis of the data to know their validity and reliability, frequency (N), percentage (%), arithmetic average (mean) and standard deviation (SD) were used. To specify, if there was a relationship between the data or not, Pearson Correlation analysis was applied. To determine the predictive power between the data, Multiple Regression analysis was applied

Demographic characteristics of the students who participated in the research are given in Table 1. According to the data, 55.8% of the students are males (n=324), while 44.2% of them are females (N=257). 3^rd grade students were the highest participants (37.2%); the least participants were 1^st grade students (12.9%).  Most of the participants were from Erciyes University (24.3%) and the least were from Abant Ä°zzet Baysal University (17.7%).

Success tendencies and ego identity statutes averages of the students, who study at Physical Education and Sports Teaching Department, are given in Table 2. From the table,  it  can  be  said   that  the  students have more enthusiasm for success tendency and also have successful identity.

From Table 3, it is seen that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between successful identity characteristic and learning tendency (r=.149, p=.000), tendency for performance (r=.136, p=.001) and avoidance of performance (r=.132, p=.001). While there is no relationship between suspended identity and learning tendency (r=.010, p=.806), there are positive and meaningful relationships between tendency for per-formance (r=.135, p=.001) and avoidance of performance (r=.363, p=.000). While there is not a meaningful relationship between encumbered identity characteristic and learning tendency (r=,-.035, p=.405), there is a positive and meaningful relationship between tendency for performance (r=.176, p=.000) and avoidance of performance (r=.426, p=.000). While there is not a meaningful relationship between dispersed identity characteristic and learning tendency (r=-.044, p=.284), there is a positive and meaningful relationship between tendency for performance (r=.095, p=.284) and avoidance of performance tendency (r=.428, p=.000).

The regression analysis done for the ego identity statutes and which predict success tendency is presented in Table 4. From Table 4, there is a meaningful relationship between success tendencies and success identity statutes (R=.205, R2=0.42, p<.001). From the t-test results related to the meaningfulness of the regression coefficients, it is seen that it predicts the “learning” (t=2.960, p=.003) and “avoidance of performance” (t=2.471, p=.014) tendencies and also explains 8% of the total variance (F2.296= 8.460, p<.001).

There is a meaningful relationship between success tendencies and suspended identity statutes (R=.364, R2=.133, p<.001). From the t-test results related to the meaningfulness of the regression coefficients, it is seen that it predicts the “avoidance of performance tendency” (t=8.698, p=.000), suspended identity status and explains 29% of the total variance. (F2.296= 29.426, p<.001).

There is a meaningful relationship between success tendencies and encumbered identity statutes (R=.433, R2=.188, p<.001). From the t-test results related to the meaningfulness of the regression coefficients, it is seen that it predicts the “avoidance of performance tendency” (t=10.293, p=.000) encumbered identity status and explains 44% of the total variance (F2.296= 44.457, p<.001).

There is a meaningful relationship between success tendencies and dispersed identity statutes (R=.433, R2=.188, p<.001). From the t-test results related to the meaningfulness of the regression coefficients, it is seen that it predicts the “avoidance of performance tendency” (t=11.102, p=.000) dispersed identity status and explains 44% of the total variance (F2.296= 44.501, p<.001).

Specifying the mechanisms, which will support the success and success motivation of the students, who study at Physical Education and Sports Teaching Department, is really important. This work studied the predictors of success motivation and success, and it was assessed whether there was a relationship between the identity statutes and success tendencies of the students or not. It is found that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between successful identity characteristic, learning tendency, tendency for performance and avoidance of performance tendency. It is also found that while there is not a meaningful relationship between suspended identity, encumbered identity, dispersiveness identity and learning tendency, there is a positive and meaningful relationship between tendency for per-formance and avoidance of performance. When the prediction of the success tendency of ego identity statutes is assessed, it is seen that success identity status predicts the characteristics of learning tendency, tendency for performance and avoidance of performance; and while successful identity status increases, individuals’ learning tendency, tendency for performance and avoidance of performance tendency increase. It is seen that suspended, encumbered and dispersed identities predict the characteristics of the learning tendency, tendency for performance and avoidance of performance. It is also seen that as suspended, encumbered, and dispersed identities increase, individuals’ learning tendency and tendency for performance decrease, but avoidance of performance tendency increases. From the literature, it is seen that there is a meaningful relationship between successful identity and avoiding performance tendency. It is thought that the students have a successful identity and this  will  also  continue  to  increase.  This  is seen in the sample group of 1-4 grades within the age group of 18-27, according to the literature. In Kroger’s longitudinal study, he assessed university students of two years and above, and like Marcia, he found as age increases, successful identity status increases (Kroger, 1988). In the literature on successful identity status, it is seen that people with successful identity status are determined, stand firm and are not affected much from instant changes and unexpected responsibilities (Marcia, 1966). These individuals are stable, getting through with the environment and are determined to set real targets for themselves (Eryüksel, 1987). In this study, it is determined that successful identity status meaningfully predicts learning tendency and tendency for performance. With this result, it is thought that the students who study Physical Education and Sports Teaching begin to do sports at an early age, after a while they set a target for themselves and get support from their families. These affect their successful identity statutes positively. Literature defines suspended identity status as a situation in which people are in a state of depression but cannot find a solution (Marcia, 1966). For these individuals, help from their parents and the society is important. They try to bridge between this help and their skills (Eryüksel, 1987). In this conducted research, while suspended identity status affects learning tendency and tendency for performance negatively, it affects the avoiding performance tendency positively. With these results, it is thought that the students are enthusiastic to be successful in sports from their childhood; at the same time, their parents and the society’s desires are parallel with theirs. This affects them positively as they do not have any issues with tendency for success. The literature associates encumbered status with variances that can affect academic success negatively, such as low academic performance, disloyalty to authority and low self-respect (Kroger and Marcia, 2011). It confirmed the results of this study that encumbered status affects academic development, learning tendency and tendency for performance tendency negatively. This shows that students who study Physical Education and Sports Teaching have sports background, and choosing a role model helps them to realize themselves. Thus, it is thought that they do not have difficulty in achieving success. It is thought that apart from the students choosing a role model by themselves, there are also different reasons. Dispersed status in the literature is associated with the variances that negatively correlate with learning tendency and positively correlate with avoidance tendency such as academic suspense and non-adaptive making decisions styles (Bacanlı, 2012; Shanahan and Pychyl, 2007). In this study, relations are determined  as  specified  in  the  body  of  literature.  It is thought ,based on the body of literature, that the students studying Physical Education and Sports Teaching, beginning from their development periods have been in sports discipline and because they are not dependent on others when they make decisions, they do not have any problem in their decision making styles. This situation is not only associated with sports discipline but also other different reasons. In his study, Özgüngör (2014) indicated that identity statutes predict learning tendencies; learning tendency is predicted positively by success status, but negatively by encumbered and dispersed statutes. He reported that avoidance of performance tendency is predicted by encumbered and success statutes; approach to performance tendency is predicted by encumbered and moratorium statutes. This conducted study supports our current study. The reason could be because both studies use the university students. Yet, to make a better generalization, studies in this field should be increased. This study contributes to the body of literature through findings that reveal the relationship between identity statutes and learning tendencies of the students who study at Physical Education and Sports Teaching Department. As a result, there is an increase in the success tendency and tendency to performance of the students who study at Physical Education and Sports Teaching Department.

Suggestions

1. Psychosocial development of the students, who study at Physical Education and Sports Teaching Department, should be taken into consideration,

2. There should be more studies that assess the ego identity statutes and academic successes of the students.

3. The factors associated with ego identity statutes and academic successes of the students such as contextual, economic, psychologic, and cognitive processes need to be assessed and constructive strategies and programs should be enhanced.

4. Universities should form the curriculums to increase the students’ success identities. .

5. Based on findings acquired from universities they should make a study to increase the students’ learning tendency and performance tendency.

6. According to findings in terms of the study there should be much more studies on the increase of students’ identity statutes and make them acquire the body of literature.

7. Utilize from the acquired findings about tend to performance and learning tendency it is suggested that there should be other studies about increasing a person’s other psychological characteristics.

The author has not declared any conflicts of interest.