scholarly journals The Effects of Goal Involvement on Moral Behavior in an Experimentally Manipulated Competitive Setting

2007 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Sage ◽  
Maria Kavussanu

In this experiment we examined the effects of task and ego involvement on three measures of moral behavior—prosocial choice, observed prosocial behavior, and observed antisocial behavior—in a competitive setting. We also investigated sex differences in moral behavior. Male (n = 48) and female (n = 48) college students were randomly assigned to a task-involving, an ego-involving, or a control condition. Participants played two 10-min games of table soccer and completed measures of prosocial choice, goal involvement, goal orientation, and demographics. The two games were recorded, and frequencies of prosocial and antisocial behavior were coded. Players assigned to the task-involving condition were higher in prosocial choice than those in the ego-involving or control conditions. Individuals in the ego-involving condition displayed more antisocial behaviors than those in the task-involving or control conditions. Finally, females displayed more prosocial behaviors than males.

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 449-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Kavussanu ◽  
Ian D. Boardley ◽  
Sam S. Sagar ◽  
Christopher Ring

The concept of bracketed morality has received empirical support in several sport studies (e.g., Bredemeier & Shields, 1986a, 1986b). However, these studies have focused on moral reasoning. In this research, we examined bracketed morality with respect to moral behavior in sport and university contexts, in two studies. Male and female participants (Study 1: N = 331; Study 2: N = 372) completed questionnaires assessing prosocial and antisocial behavior toward teammates and opponents in sport and toward other students at university. Study 2 participants also completed measures of moral disengagement and goal orientation in both contexts. In most cases, behavior in sport was highly correlated with behavior at university. In addition, participants reported higher prosocial behavior toward teammates and higher antisocial behavior toward opponents in sport than toward other students at university. The effects of context on antisocial behavior were partially mediated by moral disengagement and ego orientation. Our findings extend the bracketed morality concept to prosocial and antisocial behavior.


2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Kavussanu ◽  
Ian D. Boardley

This research aimed to (a) develop a measure of prosocial and antisocial behavior in sport, (b) examine its invariance across sex and sport, and (c) provide evidence for its discriminant and concurrent validity. We conducted two studies. In study 1, team sport athletes (N = 1,213) recruited from 103 teams completed questionnaires assessing demographics and prosocial and antisocial behaviors in sport. Factor analyses revealed two factors representing prosocial behavior and two factors representing antisocial behavior. The model had a very good fit to the data and showed configural, metric, and scalar invariance across sex and sport. The final scale consisted of 20 items. In Study 2, team-sport athletes (N = 106) completed the scale and measures of empathy and goal orientation. Analyses provided support for the discriminant and concurrent validity of the scale. In conclusion, the new scale can be used to measure prosocial and antisocial behaviors in team sport.


2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 273-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Graupensperger ◽  
Marie S. Tisak

Abstract Task cohesion (i.e., perceptions of team unity towards a task goal and positive feelings towards one’s own involvement) is associated with myriad psychosocial benefits for youth athletes. Accordingly, sport researchers and youth sport stakeholders are interested in ways of fostering task cohesion. Recent work has found evidence that prosocial and antisocial behaviors among teammates are associated with athletes’ perceptions of task cohesion; however, this research has been limited to moral behavior that takes place during gameplay. Despite youth sport experiences extending well beyond practices and games, we know very little about how moral behavior between teammates, in settings outside gameplay, relates to perceptions of task cohesion. To address this knowledge gap, the current study investigated whether prosocial and antisocial behaviors in the locker room setting were associated with perceptions of task cohesion in a sample of 238 youth male ice hockey players (Mage = 10.75). Using hierarchical regression analyses, our results revealed that (a) perceptions of peer prosocial behavior was positively associated with task cohesion, (b) perceptions of peer antisocial behavior was negatively associated with task cohesion, and (c) self-reported perceptions of participants’ own moral behavior was not significantly associated with task cohesion. Given the association with perceptions of task cohesion, these findings underline the value in promoting prosocial behavior and reducing antisocial behavior in sport settings outside gameplay and hold multiple theoretical and practical implications. Notably, moral behavior that takes place outside gameplay settings may be related to perceptions of task cohesion that primarily relates to goals and interactions during gameplay.


Author(s):  
Asiye Kumru ◽  
Burcu Bugan ◽  
Zehra Gulseven

This chapter aims to examine how parenting relates to prosocial moral behavior in predominantly Muslim countries. First, we briefly define two theoretical approaches to explain prosocial behavior across cultures. Next, we present a discussion of Islam, its sects (Sunni, Shi‘a, and Khawarij), basic teachings, rites, rules, and beliefs, and how all these factors are associated with prosocial and moral behavior in Islamic families. After reviewing the literature on different aspects of parenting and prosocial behavior in these majority Muslim countries, it is concluded that examining of prosocial behaviors in different ethnic and cultural groups in Muslim populations reveals both cultural specificity and universality. Future studies should focus on the analysis of contextual factors as well as parenting to help us to better understand which settings are most appropriate for interventions to promote different types of prosocial moral behaviors in different Muslim societies.


1995 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 739-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert B. Kosek

This study examined the relationship between prosocial behavior and the five-factor model of personality. 61 undergraduates were given an 80-item Bipolar Adjective Scale to assess five domains of personality and the Prosocial Behavior Inventory to rate prosocial behavior. Analysis suggested that Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Agreeableness showed significant positive correlations with prosocial behaviors, e.g., women were somewhat more compassionate than men whereas men focussed more on fiscal responsibility.


Author(s):  
Fang Bian ◽  
Diming Wu

AbstractCollege students’ prosocial behaviors have been shown to help them to attain honor, achieve happiness, and improve their social adaptation. This study was designed to examine the mediating roles of parent-child attachment and emotion regulation self-efficacy in the relationship between family socioeconomic status and prosocial behaviors. A survey was conducted among 458 college students randomly selected from six universities in two Chinese provinces characterized by a medium level of higher education development. The model was verified by structural equation modeling and mediation effect testing methods. The study revealed that family socioeconomic status had a positive effect on parent-child attachment and emotion regulation self-efficacy, but had no direct effect on the students’ prosocial behavior. Moreover, parent-child attachment and emotional regulation self-efficacy both mediated the influence of family socioeconomic status on the prosocial behavior of college students. Finally, family socioeconomic status affected the prosocial behavior of college students through the chain of parent-child attachment and emotional self-efficacy.


2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 527-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Hodge ◽  
Chris Lonsdale

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the relationships between contextual factors (i.e., autonomy-supportive vs. controlling coaching style) and person factors (i.e., autonomous vs. controlled motivation) outlined in self-determination theory (SDT) were related to prosocial and antisocial behaviors in sport. We also investigated moral disengagement as a mediator of these relationships. Athletes’ (n = 292, M = 19.53 years) responses largely supported our SDT-derived hypotheses. Results indicated that an autonomy-supportive coaching style was associated with prosocial behavior toward teammates; this relationship was mediated by autonomous motivation. Controlled motivation was associated with antisocial behavior toward teammates and antisocial behavior toward opponents, and these two relationships were mediated by moral disengagement. The results provide support for research investigating the effect of autonomy-supportive coaching interventions on athletes’ prosocial and antisocial behavior.


Author(s):  
Tomas Stupuris ◽  
Saulius Šukys ◽  
Ilona Tilindienė

Research  background  and  hypothesis.  This  study  examined  the  relations  between  reported  youth  athletes’ prosocial  and  antisocial  behavior  and  personal  and  social  factors  in  sport  context  and  whether  these  variables  accounted for age and sports experience differences in reported behaviors values in sport and perceptions of coach’s  character development competency. The aim of the research was to determine age and sports experience differences in manifestation of youth athletes’ values in sport, perceived coach’s character development competency and behaviors that occur in sport, and to examine interrelations between these variables. Research methods. The sample included 201 athletes recruited from Kaunas and Alytus sports schools. The participants  completed  the Youth  Sport Value  Questionnaire-2  (YSVQ-2  -  Lee  et  al.,  2008),  the  Prosocial  and Antisocial Behavior in Sport Scale (PABSS – Kavussanu, Boardley, 2009), and adapted version of the Coaching Efficacy Scale (CES– Feltz et al., 1999).Research results. The positive correlation between values in sport, perceived coach’s character development  competency  and  prosocial  behavior  of  athletes  were  established.  These  values  also  had  negative  correlations  with  antisocial  behavior  whereas  status  values  correlated  negatively  with  prosocial  behavior.  Coach’s  character  development competency was perceived stronger by younger athletes (p < 0.05). Competence values were more  important to these athletes compared to older ones (p < 0.05).  Discussion and conclusions. Research revealed the importance of moral and competence values for adolescent  athlete’s moral behavior in sport. Perceived character-development effectiveness positively correlated with athletes’  prosocial behavior; however, it was unrelated to antisocial behavior. Thus, perceiving the coach as being effective in  instilling an attitude of good moral character may lead to an increased frequency of desirable behaviors but does not  appear to have any effect on antisocial conduct. It was found that athletes’ prosocial acts were more frequent than antisocial ones, however, more experienced athletes displayed more frequent antisocial behavior to the teammates.  These findings are consistent with the previous presumption that low frequency of engagement in antisocial behaviors   does not necessarily mean that one frequently engages in prosocial action, or vice versa.Keywords:  sport, athletes’ moral behavior, values in sport, perceptions, coaching effectiveness.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle F. Wright

Despite acknowledging that adolescents are active users of electronic technology, little is known about their perceptions concerning how such technologies might be used to promote their social standing among their peer group and whether these perceptions relate to their cyber social behaviors (i.e., cyber aggression perpetration, cyber prosocial behavior). To address this gap in the literature, the present study included 857 seventh graders (M age: 12.19; 50.8% female) from a large Midwestern city in the United States. They completed questionnaires on face-to-face social behaviors, cyber social behaviors, perceived popularity, social preference, and their perceptions of characteristics and activities related to the cyber context which might be used to promote popularity. Findings revealed four activities and characteristics used to improve adolescents’ social standing in the peer group, including antisocial behaviors, sociability, prosocial behaviors, and technology access. Using antisocial behaviors in the cyber context to promote popularity was related to cyber aggression perpetration, while controlling for gender, social preference, and perceived popularity. On the other hand, sociability and prosocial behaviors in the cyber context used to improve popularity as well as technology access were associated with cyber prosocial behavior. A call for additional research is made.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (83) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saulius Šukys ◽  
Vaida Zakrasienė Stankevičiūtė ◽  
Edas Nickus ◽  
Edita Šukienė

Research background and hypothesis. The number of studies examining moral issues in sport has increased but we still lack research about actual behavior of athletes during the match. It was hypothesized that players and coaches’ behavior would differ in relation with players’ age, course and the final outcome of the match.Research aim was to explore the manifestation of observed prosocial and antisocial behaviors in a basketball match.Research methods. Data were collected using observation technique. 40 games were observed in the two age groups: 13–14 and 17–18-year-old players. Research results. Younger players more often than the older ones demonstrated respect to the referee (p = 0.05), but older players showed respect to opponents more often (p = 0.01). In the second half of the game players quarreled with referees more often than at the beginning of the game (p = 0.001). When the difference in the final outcome of the game was less, athletes were more often angry with each other (p = 0.001) and cursed more often (p = 0.034). Coaches working with younger players showed disrespect to them more often (p = 0.02).Discussion and conclusions. Research partly confirmed the hypothesis that younger basketball players more often demonstrated prosocial behavior during the game. Antisocial behaviors of players were more common in the second half of the match and when the difference in the final result was less. Research did not confirm the fact that coaches who worked with older players demonstrated more antisocial behavior and that such behavior was more common when there was less difference in the results of the match.Keywords: basketball players and coaches’ behavior assessment, moral behavior in sport, players’ age, course of the game, final outcome of the game.


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