title: The influence of social variables and moral disengagement on prosocial and antisocial behaviours in field hockey and netball.
abstract: In this study, we examined: (a) the effects of perceived motivational climate and coaching character-building competency on prosocial and antisocial behaviours towards team-mates and opponents in field hockey and netball; (b) whether the effects of perceived character-building competency on sport behaviours are mediated by moral disengagement; and (c) whether these relationships are invariant across sport. Field hockey (n = 200) and netball (n = 179) players completed questionnaires assessing the aforementioned variables. Structural equation modelling indicated that mastery climate had positive effects on prosocial and negative effects on antisocial behaviour towards team-mates, while performance climate had a positive effect on antisocial behaviour towards team-mates. Perceived character-building competency had a positive effect on prosocial behaviour towards opponents and negative effects on the two antisocial behaviours; all of these effects were mediated by moral disengagement. No effect was found for prosocial behaviour towards team-mates. The model was largely invariant across sport. The findings aid our understanding of social influences on prosocial and antisocial behaviours in sport.
authors.affiliation: School of Education, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. i.d.broadley@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ian D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Boardley
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kavussanu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001076:Aptitude; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006688:Hockey / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D035863:Moral Development; D009014:Morals; D009042:Motivation; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult