How Workplace Ostracism Influences Interpersonal Deviance: The Mediating Role of Defensive Silence and Emotional Exhaustion

This study investigated the mediating effects of defensive silence and emotional exhaustion between ostracism and interpersonal deviance, explained through transactional theory of stress and coping. Time-lagged and multi-source data was collected at two measurement points from 320 employees, working in service sector organizations of Pakistan. Employees appraise ostracism as an uncontrollable interpersonal stressor that threatens their relational and efficacy needs. They try to deal with this threat through an avoidant coping approach and resort to interpersonal deviance, via a cognitive path and an emotional route, namely defensive silence and emotional exhaustion. Our results show that workplace ostracism, defensive silence, and emotional exhaustion contribute to the prevalence of interpersonal deviance, and offer several direct as well as indirect options. One path involves actions that discourage ostracism through various human resource functions. Another step pertains to defensive silence which could be put off by a suggestion system that offers psychological safety to employees. The last measure relates to emotional exhaustion, prevented by emotional mentoring and employee assistance plans. The present study explains the underlying cognitive and emotional mechanisms between ostracism and interpersonal deviance. It extends research on defensive silence to demonstrate its theoretical as well as empirical effect on interpersonal deviance. It further explains how employees use interpersonal deviance, to reduce the negative effect of ostracism. Lastly, it describes ostracism and deviance in the context of collectivist culture of Pakistan, which underscores close interpersonal relationships.     

When feeling poorly at work does not mean acting poorly at work: The moderating role of work-related emotional intelligence

It is important, both theoretically and for applied reasons, to understand who is likely to engage in counterproductive work behaviors. It is known that such behaviors are more likely to be exhibited by unhappy employees (i.e., those high in job negative affect), but this should be particularly true for individuals low in work-related emotional intelligence. The current study (N = 91) examined moderation-related hypotheses of this type in relation to five counterproductive work behaviors—abuse, sabotage, theft, withdrawal, and production deviance—among a sample of employees working at least 20 h per week. These behaviors varied positively by job negative affect and negatively by work-related emotional intelligence. In addition, the two predictors interacted for all five outcomes such that the highest levels of counterproductive work behavior were observed among employees who were high in job negative affect and low in emotional intelligence. The discussion focuses on implications for understanding counterproductive work behaviors and on the value of assessing work-related emotional intelligence as an ability that differs by employees.     

How Abusive Supervision Affects Workplace Deviance: A Moderated-Mediation Examination of Aggressiveness and Work-Related Negative Affect

Purpose

This research examines the linking mechanisms and conditional processes underlying the abusive supervision and workplace deviance relationship. Based primarily on Affective Events Theory, it was hypothesized that work-related negative affect would mediate the relationship between abusive supervision and workplace deviance, and that this indirect effect would be moderated by employee-based and organization-based aggressiveness.

Design/Methodology/Approach

Two independent studies were conducted, including diverse working samples and multi-wave data, to test these relationships through mediation and moderated-mediation bootstrapping procedures.

Findings

Both studies suggest that work-related negative affect mediates the abusive supervision and workplace deviance relationship. Mixed findings were found for the moderating effect of employee-based and organization-based aggressiveness. In Study 1 higher levels of employee-based aggressive beliefs and attitudes increased the magnitude of the indirect effect; however, in Study 2 when taking into account organization-based aggressive norms only the facet of social discounting bias increased this relationship. In Study 2 higher levels of organization-based aggressive norms also increased the magnitude of the indirect effect for supervisor-directed deviance.

Implications

Theoretical and practical implications of these findings suggest a movement toward an emotion-centered process-based theory of workplace deviance.

Originality/Value

A central question in organizational behavior research revolves around what drives employees to engage in various workplace behaviors. Replicating research that suggests abusive supervision is an important factor in this question, this research helps illuminate the processes underlying this perception-to-behavior link, as well as the boundary conditions of these processes.

     

Psychological contract breach and workplace deviance: Does emotional intelligence matter?

This study investigated the influence of emotional intelligence on the relationship between psychological contract breach and workplace deviance with feelings of violation. The participants were 232 employees of a Nigerian public sector organisation (125 males and 107 females). The employees completed measures of workplace deviance, psychological contract breach, feelings of violation, and emotional intelligence. Results of the moderated hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that psychological contract breach was positively related to feelings of violation and workplace deviance. Emotional intelligence significantly buffered the negative effect of psychological contract breach on feelings of violation and workplace deviance. This implies that emotionally intelligent employees who perceived contract breach are less likely to experience feelings of violation and engage in workplace deviance. Emotional regulation appears to reliably moderate between breach-outcome relationships.     

个体情绪智力与工作场所绩效关系的元分析

运用元分析方法对个体情绪智力与工作场所绩效的关系问题进行了探讨。来源于75项研究的87个独立样本满足了元分析的标准(N=12882)。元分析结果发现, 整体上个体情绪智力与工作场所绩效有中等程度的相关(r=0.28); 情绪智力测量工具、绩效衡量标准、实证数据特点和文化差异等会调节影响它们之间的关系; 在多种调节效应中, 中国文化背景下它们之间的关系最强(r=0.37)。结果表明, 情绪智力能有效地预测工作绩效; 情绪智力与工作绩效的关系强度受不同因素影响会发生小幅变化; 文化差异对它们之间关系的影响最为明显。此结果提供了情绪智力预测工作绩效的精确估计, 并能为未来情绪智力研究指引方向。     

Workplace Deviance as a Possible “Maladaptive Coping” Behavior Displayed in Association with Workplace Stressors

ABSTRACT

The Threat Appraisal and Coping Theory suggests that in response to environmental stressors, individuals sometimes display “maladaptive coping” behaviors that may vent frustration immediately but worsen later psychosocial well-being. For example, employees exposed to workplace stressors may vent their frustration with workplace deviance including intentional poor performance, abuse of organizational resources, disrespect, and disruption of co-workers, but such workplace deviance may worsen their later psychological well-being. The present study examined workplace deviance as a possible “maladaptive coping” behavior displayed by 293 university employees (74.7% female; 90.4% White; mean age = 45.8 years; 43 administrators, 127 staff, 84 faculty). When three workplace stressors (high demand, low control, low support) were compared for their association with workplace deviance, only low support was significant. Furthermore, workplace deviance was significantly associated with negative psychosocial outcomes [poor self-esteem, health concerns, anger, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, poor job satisfaction, work-home conflict]. Finally, bootstrapping mediational analysis revealed that workplace deviance was a significant mediator between low support and each of the negative psychosocial outcomes. Results support the idea that workplace deviance is an example of “maladaptive coping” behavior that, when displayed in response to perceptions of low support from supervisors and co-workers, is associated with worse psychosocial outcomes for employees who display it. Stress reduction programs could educate employees that displaying workplace deviance in response to workplace stressors may harm their psychosocial well-being. Such programs could also guide employees to more “adaptive coping” behaviors in response to workplace stressors (such as seeking social support, exercise, and yoga).     

Emotional intelligence and employee innovation: Sequential mediating effect of person-group fit and adaptive performance

IntroductionHow emotional intelligence interrelates with employee innovation becomes a timely and crucial topic for research, for human resource and organizational psychology practitioners and academicians alike.ObjectiveThe study examined the mediating effect of person-group fit and adaptive performance on employee innovation. A sequential mediation framework explaining the relationship between emotional intelligence and employee innovation was constructed. This study differentiates itself from other similar studies on emotional intelligence and employee innovation since it suggests a novel approach to enhance employee innovation.MethodsElectronic as well as paper-based surveys were conducted to collect the data and the analysis of 417 responses revealed that the hypotheses were strongly supported by the data.ResultsWe found that a sequential mediation effect exists between person-group fit and adaptive performance. The findings offer a significant contribution to the field of human resources, since prior research has examined neither the simple mediating effect nor the sequential mediating effect of person-group fit and adaptive performance between emotional intelligence and employee innovation.ConclusionThe theoretical and practical implications of the findings were explored which have substantial value for human resources especially, for recruitment and training teams.     

Investigating curvilinear relationships of explicit and implicit aggression with workplace outcomes

ABSTRACT

Although previous research has demonstrated the value of integrating explicit and implicit measures of aggression for predicting workplace outcomes, such investigations only examined linear and interactive effects. Here we examine nonlinear (i.e., curvilinear) effects of explicit and implicit aggression, which revealed subtleties in the manifestation of aggression. We found significant curvilinear effects of explicit aggression on peer-reported deviance (property deviance, production deviance, and personal aggression). In each case, deviance was lowest when explicit aggression was low, and increased as explicit aggression increased. However, production and property deviance decreased at elevated levels of explicit aggression. In contrast, for disciplinary actions, explicit and implicit aggression interacted, but there was also a curvilinear effect of implicit aggression. This pattern led to discipline being highest when explicit and implicit aggression were very incongruent, but being quite low when they were congruent. The results show that examining nonlinear effects with respect to explicit and implicit aggression can reveal unexpected relationships when predicting peer-reported criteria or organizational personnel data. Propositions for future research on the relationship of personality to workplace outcomes are presented deriving from the trait activation model, and implications for workplace interventions are discussed.     

Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Relations

Abstract

In 7 studies, the authors examined the link between emotional intelligence and interpersonal relations. In Studies 1 and 2, the participants with higher scores for emotional intelligence had higher scores for empathic perspective taking and self-monitoring in social situations. In Study 3, the participants with higher scores for emotional intelligence had higher scores for social skills. In Study 4, the participants with higher scores for emotional intelligence displayed more cooperative responses toward partners. In Study 5, the participants with higher scores for emotional intelligence had higher scores for close and affectionate relationships. In Study 6, the participants' scores for marital satisfaction were higher when they rated their marital partners higher for emotional intelligence. In Study 7, the participants anticipated greater satisfaction in relationships with partners described as having emotional intelligence.     

Multicultural Personality Dispositions and Trait Emotional Intelligence: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationship between multicultural personality dispositions and trait emotional intelligence. The sample included 152 graduate education students enrolled at a university in a large northeastern city of the United States. The multicultural personality dispositions of Cultural Empathy and Social Initiative predicted variance in trait emotional intelligence above and beyond the variance accounted for by gender and potential socially desirable responding. Study limitations are highlighted, and suggestions for follow-up quantitative and qualitative research are presented.     

The Role of Trait Emotional Intelligence in a Gender‐Specific Model of Organizational Variables1

This article investigated the relationships between trait emotional intelligence (“trait EI” or “emotional self‐efficacy”) and 4 job‐related variables (perceived job control, job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment). Gender‐specific data (N=167, 87 females) were analyzed via multigroup structural equation modeling. Perceived job control had a negative effect on stress and a positive effect on satisfaction. Stress had a negative effect on satisfaction, which, in turn, had the strongest positive effect on commitment. There were many gender differences in the model, mainly concerning age, which was negatively related to control and commitment in the female sample only. Trait EI had specific, rather than widespread, effects in the model. Discussion focuses on trait EI's implications in the workplace.     

Mastery approach and performance approach: the differential prediction of organizational citizenship behavior and workplace deviance,beyond HEXACO personality

Goal orientation has become one of the most studied motivational constructs in the psychology literature. However, in organizational contexts, the research focus to date has largely centered on the relationship between goal orientation and task performance—neglecting the valuable contribution of non-task work behaviors, such as workplace deviance and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) to organization functioning. In this paper, we addressed this gap in the literature by investigating the differential prediction of performance approach and mastery approach goal orientation on workplace deviance and OCB, beyond personality correlates. We hypothesize that performance approach orientation is positively associated with workplace deviance and mastery approach orientation is positively associated with OCB. A sample of employed participants (n = 114) provided self-reports of goal orientation, workplace deviance, OCB and personality. Additionally, participants nominated a well-acquainted peer to provide peer-reports of their personalities. When controlling for personality, performance approach orientation positively predicted workplace deviance whereas mastery approach orientation positively predicted organizational citizenship behavior. This study is the first to our knowledge to explore the relationships between goal orientation and non-task work behaviors and to show that goal orientation adds to the understanding of workplace deviance and OCB, beyond personality. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership Style: A Gender Comparison

This study examined the predictive relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership style. The researchers also wanted to determine gender differences in the relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership style, as well as the gender differences in the emotional intelligence scores and transformational leadership style of managers. A significant predictive relationship (p < .05) was found between transformational leadership style and emotional intelligence. No significant interaction (p < .05) was found between gender and emotional intelligence while predicting transformational leadership style. A significant difference (p < .05) was found in the emotional intelligence of scores of male and female managers. Lastly, no significant difference (p > .05) was found in the transformational leadership scores of male and female managers.     

The Impact of Emotional Dissonance on Organizational Commitment and Intention to Turnover

In the workplace, emotional dissonance is the conflict between experienced emotions and emotions expressed to conform to display rules. This study is an empirical examination of the impact of emotional dissonance on organizational criteria and its moderation by self-monitoring and social support. Emotional dissonance was theorized to stimulate turnover intentions, either solely through job dissatisfaction or through both job dissatisfaction and reduced organizational commitment. Job dissatisfaction was found to be the sole mediator. Emotional dissonance resulted in job dissatisfaction, which, in turn, stimulated withdrawal intentions. Self-monitoring and social support exerted moderator effects, albeit in opposing directions. Emotional dissonance aroused feelings of job dissatisfaction and reduced organizational commitment among high self-monitors. In contrast, social support lessened the negative impact of emotional dissonance on organizational commitment.     

Mediating Role of Emotional Intelligence on the Associations between Core Self-Evaluations and Job Satisfaction,Work Engagement as Indices of Work-Related Well-Being

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of emotional intelligence in relation to core self-evaluations (CSE) and work-related well-being. A sample of 356 employees who are all females completed measures of CSE, emotional intelligence, job satisfaction and work engagement. Results revealed that higher levels of CSE were correlated with higher levels of emotional intelligence, job satisfaction and work engagement. Higher levels of emotional intelligence were associated with greater job satisfaction and work engagement. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicated that emotional intelligence partially mediated the association between CSE and work-related well-being. The results revealed the importance of emotional intelligence in order to improve occupational well-being of employees. This research makes a contribution to the potential mechanism of the relationship between CSE and work-related well-being.     

Emotional intelligence and prosocial behaviors in adolescents

The relationship between emotional intelligence and prosocial behaviors and sex differences in 134 adolescents involved in a 6-wk. training camp run by the military was investigated. They were asked to evaluate themselves on emotional intelligence and randomly chosen peers evaluated them on prosocial behaviors, indicated by organizational citizenship behaviors, a measure used in work organizations. Ratings of emotional intelligence significantly correlated with scores on two of the five organizational citizenship behavior factors: Altruism (r = .25, p < .01) and Civic virtue (r = .24, p < .01). The girls scored somewhat, but not significantly, higher than the boys on Emotional Intelligence, Altruism, Conscientiousness, and Civic virtue, an observation which might be explored further.     

Interactive effects of personality and perceptions of the work situation on workplace deviance

Previous research on workplace deviance has examined the relationship of either personality or employees' situational perceptions with deviant behavior. In this study, the authors focused on the joint relationship of personality and perceptions of the work situation with deviant behavior. Using 4 samples of employees and multiple operationalizations of the core constructs, the authors found support for the hypothesis that positive perceptions of the work situation are negatively related to workplace deviance. In addition, consistent with hypotheses, the personality traits of conscientiousness, emotional stability, and agreeableness moderated this relationship. Specifically, the relationship between perceptions of the developmental environment and organizational deviance was stronger for employees low in conscientiousness or emotional stability, and the relationship between perceived organizational support and interpersonal deviance was stronger for employees low in agreeableness.     

Psychological Contract Breach as a Source of Strain for Employees

The present study investigated the role of psychological contract breach in employees' experience of emotional exhaustion and job dissatisfaction. Employees (N = 161) from a large financial corporation completed questionnaires assessing work-related attitudes and behaviors. Fulfillment of organizational obligations predicted both emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction, and job demands predicted only emotional exhaustion. Supervisory support and control did not predict emotional exhaustion or job satisfaction when controlling for fulfillment of organizational obligations and job demands. The results suggest that psychological contract breach contributes to employee experience of job strain.     

A Call for Emotional Intelligence Skills Training Curricula at Christian Colleges

Abstract

Although emotional intelligence is an increasingly popular research topic regarding academic success, only one study regarding the topic has been conducted among Christian higher education student bodies. The Bible does not mention the term emotional intelligence; however, there are many biblical accounts of negative behaviors as a result of people succumbing to their emotions. Skills training, in the context of Christian colleges, would teach students how to commit emotional health to the will of God, how to process emotions and would provide life skills that will assist with the decision-making process.     

Combined effects of workplace bullying and perceived organizational support on employee behaviors: does resource availability help?

Background and Objective: This research examines the detrimental effects of workplace bullying as a social stressor on employees’ job performance, organizational retaliatory behaviors, and organizational citizenship behaviors and how the availability of support can reduce the negative impact of bullying. Using social exchange theory and the conservation of resources theory as theoretical frameworks, we propose that workplace bullying drains personal resources, leading to reduced job performance, low citizenship behaviors, and increased organizational retaliatory behaviors. We also propose that perceived organizational support acts as moderator, such that it reduces the detrimental effects of bullying on employee behaviors.

Research Design and Methods: We tested our hypotheses in two field studies (N?=?478 and N?=?395) conducted in Pakistan.

Results: The results of both studies supported the assertion that workplace bullying exacerbates employees’ job performance, reduces organizational citizenship behaviors and intensifies organizational retaliatory behaviors. The idea that perceived organizational support would moderate the bullying-work behavior relationships found mixed support. While perceptions of organizational support reinforced the bullying-job performance and bullying-retaliatory behaviors relationships, it did not moderate the bullying-citizenship behaviors relationship in the suggested direction.

Conclusion: The findings show that workplace bullying leads to more organizational citizenship behaviors when employee’s perceptions of organizational support is high.