The impact of social exclusion on malevolent creativity in college students: the mediating role of aggression and the moderating effect of team sports participation—evidence from universities in Shanghai

Introduction: This study examined how social exclusion relates to malevolent creativity among college students and tested the mediating role of aggression and the moderating role of team sports participation. Methods: A total of 1,288 students (656 males, 632 females) from universities in Shanghai completed validated scales assessing social exclusion, aggression, malevolent creativity, and team sports participation. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro with bootstrapping, controlling for gender, grade, and age. Results: Social exclusion significantly and positively predicted malevolent creativity, and that aggression partially mediated this association. Social exclusion remained a significant predictor of malevolent creativity after including aggression, while the indirect effect via aggression was also significant, indicating a partial mediation pattern. Furthermore, team sports participation significantly moderated both the social exclusion-aggression and the aggression-malevolent creativity paths: the positive associations were stronger at low levels and weaker at high levels of team sports participation. Conclusion: These findings suggest that social exclusion may impact malevolent creativity in emerging adults partly by increasing aggression, whereas sustained engagement in team sports functions as a protective factor that mitigates this risk. The study highlights the importance of integrating sport-based interventions into campus mental health and behavioral prevention programs to guide creativity toward prosocial ends.