Effects of Abusive Supervision, Psychological Climate, and Felt Violation on Work Outcomes

Abstract

This study adds to the existing literature by empirically demonstrating that psychological climate is an important variable in understanding the relationships between abusive supervision and employee outcomes. Using psychological contract theory as a framework, we examined the relationships among abusive supervision, psychological climate, felt violation, and three work outcomes: organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions. Results from a survey of 448 civilian managers employed by the U.S. government showed that the relationship between abusive supervision and felt violation was moderated by psychological climate, suggesting that an abuse-intolerant climate heighted rather than buffered the effects of abuse on felt violation. Felt violation also partially mediated the relationship between abuse and the outcome variables. Using Muller, Judd, and Yzerbyt’s method for testing moderated mediation, we found partial support for felt violation mediating the effect of the interaction between abuse and psychological climate on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. This model was not supported for turnover intentions. Implications of the results and suggestions for future research on abusive supervision are discussed.