LEADERSHIP, COHESION, AND TEAM NORMS REGARDING CHEATING AND AGGRESSION

The present study drew from the model of moral action proposed by Shie lds and Bredemeier (1995) according to which a sport team's collective norms influence behavior. The focus was on team cheating and aggressi on norms in relation to demographic variables, leadership style, and t eam cohesion. Participants were baseball and softball players (N=298) at the high school and community college level. It was found that age, year in school, and years playing ball all correlated positively with expectations of peer cheating and aggression, and with the belief tha t the coach would sanction cheating if necessary to win. MANOVA result s indicated higher anticipations of cheating and aggression among male s, college athletes, winning team members, and nonstarters. Significan t relationships between leadership style variables and collective team norms, and between team cohesion variables and collective team norms, were also obtained.