How employees with a depressogenic attributional style respond to negative workplace gossip: Evidence based on a survey and a scenario experiment

Abstract

Depressogenic attributional style is the general tendency to attribute and infer the causes, consequences, and implications of stressful events in a negative way. Drawing on uncertainty reduction theory, this research examines how employees with a depressogenic attributional style are likely to react to negative workplace gossip. A moderated mediation model was proposed and tested by two online studies. Ordinary least squares regressions were performed. The results of a two-wave survey (N = 460) and a scenario experiment (intervention group versus control group; N = 203) reveal that negative workplace gossip induces employees' fear of negative evaluation, leading to more feedback-seeking behavior. In addition, this indirect relationship is more salient for employees with a depressogenic attributional style. The findings suggest that employees with a depressogenic attributional style tend to attain and maintain self-awareness and interpersonal acumen upon experiencing negative workplace gossip. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.