Significant Predictors of Soccer Players’ Moral Functioning from Components of Contextual Injustice, Sensitivity to Injustice and Moral Atmosphere

This study examined the network of relationships among moral atmosphere, perceived performance motivational climate, and moral functioning of male youth football players. Participants were 325 footballers recruited from 24 teams of a youth football league. They responded to scenarios describing cheating and aggressive behaviors likely to occur during a football game by indicating their moral judgment, intention, and behavior, which represented moral functioning. The moral atmosphere of the team and participants’ perceptions of the team’s performance motivational climate were also measured. Structural equation modeling indicated that perceptions of an atmosphere condoning cheating and aggressive behaviors were associated with views that a performance motivational climate is salient in the team, while both moral atmosphere and perceived performance climate corresponded to low levels of moral functioning in football. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for eliminating unsportsmanlike conduct from sport.

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Detaching Reasons From Aims: Fair Play and Well-Being in Soccer as a Function of Pursuing Performance-Approach Goals for Autonomous or Controlling Reasons

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology ◽

10.1123/jsep.32.2.217 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 217-242 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Maarten Vansteenkiste ◽

Athanasios Mouratidis ◽

Willy Lens

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Determination Theory ◽

Self Determination ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Moral Functioning ◽

Approach Goals ◽

Moral Outcomes

In two cross-sectional studies we investigated whether soccer players’ well-being (Study 1) and moral functioning (Studies 1 and 2) is related to performance-approach goals and to the autonomous and controlling reasons underlying their pursuit. In support of our hypotheses, we found in Study 1 that autonomous reasons were positively associated with vitality and positive affect, whereas controlling reasons were positively related to negative affect and mostly unrelated to indicators of morality. To investigate the lack of systematic association with moral outcomes, we explored in Study 2 whether performance-approach goals or their underlying reasons would yield an indirect relation to moral outcomes through their association with players’ objectifying attitude—their tendency to depersonalize their opponents. Structural equation modeling showed that controlling reasons for performance-approach goals were positively associated with an objectifying attitude, which in turn was positively associated to unfair functioning. Results are discussed within the achievement goal perspective (Elliot, 2005) and self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000).

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Effect of perceived motivational climate on moral functioning, team moral atmosphere perceptions, and the legitimacy of intentionally injurious acts among competitive youth football players

Psychology of Sport and Exercise ◽

10.1016/j.psychsport.2004.04.003 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 461-477 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Blake W. Miller ◽

Glyn C. Roberts ◽

Yngvar Ommundsen

Keyword(s):

Motivational Climate ◽

Football Players ◽

Moral Atmosphere ◽

Moral Functioning ◽

Youth Football ◽

Perceived Motivational Climate

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Moral Atmosphere and Athletic Aggressive Tendencies in Young Soccer Players

Journal of Moral Education ◽

10.1080/03057240120111445 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 67-85 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Marta Guivernau ◽

Joan L. Duda

Keyword(s):

Soccer Players ◽

Moral Atmosphere

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Masculinity, Moral Atmosphere, and Moral Functioning of High School Football Players

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology ◽

10.1123/jsep.33.2.215 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 215-234 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Jesse A. Steinfeldt ◽

Leslie A. Rutkowski ◽

Ellen L. Vaughan ◽

Matthew C. Steinfeldt

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Gender Role ◽

Role Conflict ◽

Gender Role Conflict ◽

Athletic Identity ◽

Football Players ◽

High School Football ◽

Moral Atmosphere ◽

Moral Functioning ◽

Masculine Gender

In order to identify factors associated with on-field moral functioning among student athletes within the unique context of football, we examined masculine gender role conflict, moral atmosphere, and athletic identity. Using structural equation modeling to assess survey data from 204 high school football players, results demonstrated that moral atmosphere (i.e., the influence of coaches and teammates) was significantly associated with participants’ process of on-field moral functioning across the levels of judgment, intention, and behavior. Neither masculine gender role conflict nor athletic identity significantly predicted moral functioning, but the results indicated that participants’ identification with the athlete role significantly predicted conflict with socialized gender roles. Results suggest that in the aggressive and violent sport of football, coaches can have a direct influence on players’ moral functioning process. Coaches can also have an indirect effect by influencing all the players so that a culture of ethical play can be cultivated among teammates and spread from the top down.

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Contextual Influences on Moral Functioning of College Basketball Players

The Sport Psychologist ◽

10.1123/tsp.16.4.347 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 347-367 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Maria Kavussanu ◽

Glyn C. Roberts ◽

Nikos Ntoumanis

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation ◽

Motivational Climate ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Contextual Influences ◽

Basketball Players ◽

Moral Atmosphere ◽

College Basketball ◽

Moral Functioning ◽

Perceived Performance

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of moral atmosphere and perceived performance motivational climate on moral functioning of college basketball players and to determine the relationship between moral atmosphere and perceived performance motivational climate. A total of 199 athletes participated in the study. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the interrelationships among the variables of interest. Athletes’ perceptions of the moral atmosphere of their team had a significant effect on moral functioning, while the effect of performance motivational climate on moral functioning was not significant. Perceptions of a performance motivational climate were positively associated with the moral atmosphere of the team. Implications of the findings for eliminating unsportspersonlike conduct in the sport realm are discussed.

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