Analysis of Exercise Motivation and Mechanism of Continuous Participation Behavior Among New Pickleball Participants

Abstract

With the rapid global proliferation of pickleball as an emerging sport integrating elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, an in-depth investigation into the exercise motivation and the mechanism of continuous participation behavior among its participants holds significant theoretical value for understanding patterns of public sports engagement and fostering the healthy development of emerging sports. This study aims to construct an integrative theoretical framework to systematically analyze the multidimensional structure and contextual characteristics of pickleball participants’ exercise motivations, as well as their interactions, and to further elucidate the psychological-cognitive pathways, contextual reinforcement loops, and mechanisms of participation inertia underlying sustained engagement. The research findings indicate that participation motivation constitutes a dynamic system encompassing a spectrum of autonomous and controlled motivations, achievement goal orientations, efficacy perceptions, and constraint negotiation; while continuous participation relies on psychological-cognitive processes such as habit automation, self-identity construction, and attribution of experiential evaluation, as well as a self-reinforcing cycle of "skill improvement-positive feedback" shaped by the distinctive features of the sport. Ultimately, the motivation system and behavioral mechanisms are coupled through patterns such as "autonomy-habit" synergy and "social-reinforcement" maintenance, collectively shaping diverse behavioral evolution trajectories and sustained participation patterns. This study provides a systematic theoretical perspective for understanding the dynamics of participation in pickleball and similar emerging recreational sports.