Moral behaviour in sport: Tracing the past and looking to the future

Research examining prosocial and antisocial behaviour in sport, also collectively referred to as moral behaviour, has proliferated in the past 20 years. Prosocial and antisocial behaviours are intentional behaviours that can have positive or negative consequences for the recipient’s rights and psychological or physical welfare. This article reviews research on moral behaviour in sport and how this research evolved in the last 20 years. Most studies have examined antecedents or predictors of prosocial and antisocial behaviours focusing predominantly on intrapersonal variables but also investigating social-environmental influences. In the last 10 years, some studies have examined consequences of these behaviours for the recipient. The review starts by tracing the development of the constructs of prosocial and antisocial sport behaviours and their measurement. Then, research on antecedents of prosocial and antisocial sport behaviours is discussed followed by studies on consequences or outcomes of these behaviours. The article concludes with a discussion of practical implications, key issues, challenges, and future research directions.