‘I am a why person’: reflections on physical self-perceptions and physical activity among academically high-achieving students

Abstract

Academically high-achieving students (AHAS) are often positioned as successful within school contexts, yet research report lower athletic self-concept and biases regarding athleticism among this group. However, less is known about how AHAS themselves experience, value and perceive their ability in physical activity (PA). This study explored how AHAS valued PA and what shaped their perceptions of competence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 upper-secondary AHAS in Sweden and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, informed by the Youth Physical Activity Promotion (YPAP) model and self-concept theory. The findings indicate that AHAS perceived PA as meaningful and themselves as able when activities aligned with their theoretical interest in the effects of physical activity and their personal definitions of competence. PA was frequently constructed in instrumental terms, grounded in ‘know-why’ understandings of bodily processes and long-term health benefits. At the same time, their sense of ability was context-dependent and socially influenced. Within school physical education, peer comparison and stereotypical expectations shaped how competence was interpreted and evaluated. By highlighting how high academic achievement intersects with being physically active, this study challenges deficit views of competency among AHAS and provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of how they engage in PA.