Symposium 27: Predicting, understanding and enhancing sport-related moral functioning: The development of a comprehensive program to promote moral behavior and sportsmanship in youth ice hockey

Understanding Social Identity and Intrateam Moral Behavior in Competitive Youth Ice Hockey: A Narrative Perspective

The Sport Psychologist ◽

10.1123/tsp.2015-0117 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 173-186 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mark W. Bruner ◽

Ian D. Boardley ◽

Veronica Allan ◽

Christopher Forrest ◽

Zachary Root ◽

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Keyword(s):

Social Identity ◽

Narrative Analysis ◽

Moral Behavior ◽

Social Identities ◽

Reciprocal Relationship ◽

Ice Hockey ◽

Young Athletes ◽

Narrative Perspective ◽

Qualitative Understanding ◽

Hockey Players

Social identity has been found to play a salient role in regulating teammate behavior among youth participating in a range of sports (Bruner, Boardley, & Côté, 2014). This study aimed to better understand social identity by examining how it may influence intrateam moral behavior specifically in competitive youth ice hockey. Thirty-six male and female competitive youth ice hockey players from nine teams participated in narrative interviews. Using a thematic narrative analysis, three distinct narratives were identified: (1) family-oriented team narrative, (2) performance-oriented team narrative, and (3) dominance-oriented team narrative. Within each of the narratives, a reciprocal relationship between social identity and intrateam moral behavior was reported such that young athletes’ social identities developed through team membership may influence and be influenced by their moral behavior toward teammates. Collectively, the results extend previous research by providing an in-depth qualitative understanding of social identity and intrateam moral behavior in youth sport.

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Moral Behavior in the Locker Room Predicts Perceptions of Task Cohesion in Youth Ice Hockey Player

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.2478/hukin-2018-0047 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 65 (1) ◽

pp. 273-280 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Scott A. Graupensperger ◽

Marie S. Tisak

Keyword(s):

Prosocial Behavior ◽

Antisocial Behavior ◽

Youth Sport ◽

Moral Behavior ◽

Ice Hockey ◽

Hierarchical Regression ◽

Antisocial Behaviors ◽

Task Goal ◽

Locker Room ◽

Task Cohesion

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.

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