Perceptions Of Abusive Supervision Research Articles

How does goal orientation affect employees’ perception of abusive supervisors?

PurposeGoal orientation shapes employees’ approach to and interpretation of workplace aspects such as supervisors’ behavior. However, research has not fully examined the effect of goal orientation as an antecedent of abusive supervision. Drawing from victim precipitation theory, this study aims to fill this research gap by investigating how employees’ goal orientation influences their perception of abusive supervision.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. In Study 1, 181 employees in 45 departments participated in the survey, and multilevel confirmatory factor analysis, two-level path model and polynomial regression were used. In Study 2, 108 working adults recruited from a professional online survey platform participated in a two-wave time-lagged survey. Confirmatory factor analysis, hierarchical linear regression and polynomial regression were used.FindingsThis study found that employees’ learning goal orientation was negatively related to their perception of abusive supervision. In contrast, performance-avoidance goal orientation was positively related to their perception of abusive supervision, whereas performance-approach goal orientation was unrelated to this perception. Moreover, employees’ perception of abusive supervision was greater when learning and performance-approach goal orientation alignment occurred at lower rather than higher levels, and when performance-avoidance and performance-approach goal orientation alignment occurred at higher rather than lower levels.Originality/valueThis research identified two novel victim traits as antecedents of abusive supervision – employees’ learning goal orientation and performance-avoidance goal orientation. Furthermore, adopting a multiple goal perspective, the authors examined the combined effects of goal orientation on employees’ perception of abusive supervision.

Change in Newcomers’ Perceived Insider Status Over Time: An Examination of its Relationships with Abusive Supervision and Well-Being

In a time when organizations must cope with an increasingly volatile and spatially dispersed workforce, understanding how to facilitate newcomers’ perceptions of insider status is of both theoretical and practical importance. However, knowledge regarding how and why these desirable perceptions unfold over time during the socialization period is limited. Drawing on affective event theory and feelings-as-information theory, this research derives predictions about the influence of change in newcomers’ perceptions of abusive supervision and change in newcomer negative affect toward their supervisors on change in newcomers’ perceived insider status. Furthermore, considering perceived insider status through the lens of COR theory, its change is expected to have an impact on newcomers’ well-being. To test our predictions, we used a latent growth modeling (LGM) approach to analyze longitudinal data collected from newcomers working in a variety of organizations at four times across a year after organizational entry. Our results reveal a temporal process whereby change in perceptions of abusive supervision influence newcomers’ well-being and demonstrate that changes in newcomers’ negative affect toward the supervisor and in newcomers’ perceived insider status sequentially mediate these relationships. Overall, this research illustrates the temporal dynamics of the socialization process and highlights the key role of supervisors and newcomers’ affect on newcomers’ transition from outsiders to organizational insiders as well as the corresponding impact on their well-being.

Learning goal orientation and abusive supervision

Employee learning for competence development is more salient for today’s organizations facing frequent changes from inside and outside, and accordingly, employees’ learning goal orientation (LGO) is noteworthy. This study examines how and why employees’ LGO relates to leadership effectiveness, i.e., employees’ perception of abusive supervision. Competing hypotheses and the mediating mechanisms of a work attitude from LGO, i.e., work enjoyment, and a work behavior from LGO, i.e., compliance behavior, were proposed. In a three-wave panel survey, 304 employees in a variety of occupations completed questionnaires. Results indicate LGO had a negative relationship with abusive supervision and employees with higher LGO had more enjoyment of work, and in turn, less perception of abusive supervision. The positive LGO-abusive supervision relationship was not empirically supported. While employees with higher LGO had less compliance behavior, this reduced compliance did not lead to increased abusive supervision. Hence, the suggestion is that supervisors should let subordinates feel that by performing required tasks, subordinates are learning by doing to facilitate leadership effectiveness. This study uses intrinsic motivation perspective to address an underlying process by which LGO manifests itself in an interpersonal and managerial outcome, abusive supervision. The findings suggest intrinsically motivated actions may mitigate negative perception of supervisors’ interactions. Employees’ intrinsic motivation at work may be a stance to understand their workplace interactions. Goal orientation is an important factor in leadership. Literature shows leaders’ LGO facilitates leadership effectiveness. Corresponding to emerging importance of followers in leadership effectiveness, this study found subordinates’ LGO facilitated their perception of leadership effectiveness in terms of reduced perception of supervisory behavior as abuse. In addition, this study enriches abusive supervision literature by corresponding to a call for examining the characteristics of subordinate and the work in concert to complement the limited work on understanding abusive supervision. Suggestions for future study are provided.

Neuroticism as an antecedent of abusive supervision and laissez‐faire leadership in emergent leaders: The role of facets and agreeableness as a moderator

AbstractAcademic interest in the relationship between leaders' personality and subordinates’ perception of destructive leadership behavior is increasing. However, results so far have been weak, contradictory, and inconsistent to theory. Here, we examine if using facets of neuroticism, rather than the broader trait, can be more informative and increases the predictive power. Next, we explore the interplay between personality dimensions by examining if the relationship between the facet angry hostility in neuroticism and destructive leadership behavior is moderated by the trait agreeableness. Four hundred and twenty emergent leaders were examined in a military selection context, combining the leaders' self‐rated neuroticism (T1) with subordinates' subsequent perception of abusive supervision and laissez‐faire leadership in a field exercise two weeks later (T2). The results indicated that using facets instead of the broad factor of neuroticism improved the prediction of examined outcomes. Only some of the facets of neuroticism were related to perceived leader behavior, with specific facets being identified for abusive supervision and laissez‐faire leadership, respectively. Further, the relationship between angry hostility and both leadership styles was moderated by agreeableness.

Toxic Triads: Supervisor Characteristics, Subordinate Self-Esteem, and Supervisor Stressors in Relation to Perceptions of Abusive Supervision

ABSTRACT Extant research on abusive supervision recognizes that attributes of the supervisor, subordinate, and situation contribute to abuse. However, little research has examined the interplay of all three factors in predicting abusive supervision. Thus, we first take an actor-focused perspective and identify supervisor trait anger and moral justification as “hot” and “cold” personality traits that encompass a preparedness to aggress and serve as antecedents of subordinates’ perceptions of abusive supervision. Then, we integrate trait activation theory to examine both subordinates’ self-esteem and supervisors’ job stressors as trait-relevant moderators. We predict two-way and three-way interactions for both supervisor trait anger and moral justification. Using a multisource, field study, we found general support for the hypothesized effects. We discuss the implications of our findings for research and practice.

It's not me, it's you: How subordinate affect effects perceptions of abusive supervision

It's not me, it's you: How subordinate affect effects perceptions of abusive supervision

Helpful or hurtful? A study on the behavior choice of bystanders in the context of abusive supervision

Purpose The purpose of this study is to reveal the mechanism of peer abusive supervision on bystander behavior based on the perspective of bystander from two different paths of bystander empathy and bystander hostility toward supervisor. At the same time, it discusses the moderation effect of bystander traditionality on the two paths. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted a three-wave longitudinal survey. The data were collected from 454 employees and their coworkers in several Chinese enterprises. The authors used Mplus 7.4 and adopted a bootstrapping technique in the data analysis. Findings Peer abusive supervision leads bystanders to empathize with the abused colleague and thus exhibit more organizational citizenship behaviors, and peer abusive supervision also induces bystanders to develop hostility toward the abusive supervisor and thus produce more workplace negative gossip behaviors. In addition, it is found that bystander traditionality has a moderation effect in the process by which peer perceptions of abusive supervision influence bystander empathy and bystander hostility. Originality/value Based on Affective Events Theory, this study explores the mechanism of colleague perception of abusive supervision on bystander behavior from a bystander perspective. The results of this study not only provide a more comprehensive expansion of the weighting factors in the influence mechanism of abusive supervision but also provide new ideas for organizations to reduce the negative effects of workplace abusive behaviors.

The “Perfect Storm” – Perfectionists’ Perceptions and Experiences of Abusive Supervision

Abstract. Using followership theory and the perpetrator predation framework, we examine how perfectionism may impact subordinates’ perceptions of abusive supervision and risk for being targeted by an abusive supervisor. Full-time workers ( N = 495) responded to a vignette survey assessing their multidimensional perfectionism and experiences and perceptions of abusive supervision. As hypothesized, socially prescribed perfectionism was associated with increased experiences of abusive leadership, whereas self-oriented perfectionism was related to fewer experiences. Unexpectedly, other-oriented perfectionism was related to lower perceptions of abusive supervision, and self-oriented perfectionism was related to greater perceptions. Theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.

Can't stop eating my feelings: the maladaptive responses of abused employees toward abusive supervision

AbstractAlthough organizational research on abusive supervision and its detrimental effects on individuals and organizations has become increasingly popular, little attention has been paid to the maladaptive responses of subordinates to abusive supervision. We build upon self-regulatory theory to investigate one common but overlooked maladaptive response of subordinates to abusive supervision: subordinate overeating behavior. We conducted a single-source, multi-wave daily diary study on 10 consecutive working days (N = 115 employees and 1150 daily surveys) to investigate the relationship between abusive supervision and overeating behavior via a subordinate's negative mood at the high versus low values of subordinate's recovery experiences. We, from the perspective of self-regulatory impairment, found that a subordinate's perceptions of abusive supervision instill a sense of negative mood, which in turn render a loss of control over his/her behavioral intentions toward overeating behavior. Moreover, the first-stage moderation results demonstrated that recovery experiences at the workplace mitigate the depleting effects of abusive supervision. Abused subordinates are less susceptible to the effects of abusive supervision on overeating behavior via their negative moods when there are greater recovery experiences at the workplace. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Two Cooks Spoil the Broth: Destructive Outcomes of Supervisor and Customer Mistreatment in Mediating-Moderating Roles of Anger and Self-Control in an Indonesian Context

Drawing on social exchange theory (SET), this study aims to investigate communicative deviance among Indonesian employees because of supervisor and customer mistreatment. We question whether anger mediates the relationship between mistreatment and deviant silence while self-control moderates promotive voice? In this regard, a survey among 1652 frontline service employees working in 60 Indonesian cities reveals perceptions of abusive supervision arouse negative emotions of anger among Indonesian frontliners. Stronger support for self-control as a moderator is found. Practically, there is a need to revisit goal orientation at work. This research is unique in conceptualizing a holistic view of mistreatment and its negative consequences.

Mitigating the harms of abusive supervision on employee thriving: The buffering effects of employees’ social-network centrality

This article builds on the scant literature regarding antecedents and consequences of employee thriving, a positive psychological state characterized by the joint experience of vitality and learning. Guided by conservation of resource (COR) theory and the social embeddedness perspective, we predict that the social-network centrality of employees helps them buffer against the negative effects of abusive supervision. Via a pilot study, a field study, and two scenario-based experiments, we find patterns supporting our hypotheses. Specifically, employees’ perception of abusive supervision is negatively associated with their level of thriving and, thereby also, with their performance-related outcomes such as task performance, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and creativity. However, abusive supervision’s negative association with employees’ thriving weakens when employees are more central in their advice and friendship networks. Our research adds to the sparse but growing literature on thriving, and supplements the mostly reactive- and/or dyadic-oriented strategies previously identified as ways to cope with abusive supervisors. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Work stress, ego depletion, gender and abusive supervision: A self-Regulatory perspective

Drawing upon the self-regulatory perspective, we investigate the antecedents of abusive supervision. We study supervisor’s work stress as a predictor of abusive supervisory behavior and investigate supervisor ego depletion as an intervening mechanism. Furthermore, we study the role of gender in explaining ego depletion and abusive supervision. We employed a multilevel research design to study supervisor work stress and ego depletion at group level and perception of abusive supervision at individual level. Data are collected from 59 supervisors and 295 subordinates working in the banking sector. We find that supervisor work stress is positively associated with subordinates’ perception of abusive supervision, and supervisor ego depletion plays a mediating role. We find that these relationships are more pronounced for females than males. We contribute by identifying supervisors’ work stress as an antecedent of abusive supervision and extend ego depletion theory by studying supervisor’s ego depletion as an underlying mechanism.

How the supervisor's Machiavellianism results in abusive supervision: understanding the role of the supervisor's competitive worldviews and subordinate's performance

PurposeDrawing on the dual process model of ideology and prejudice, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether, how and when a supervisor's Machiavellianism leads to subordinates' perceptions of abusive supervision. In doing so, the authors also explore the mediating role of the supervisor's competitive world views and the moderating role of subordinates' performance on this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical model was tested using three sources of data from supervisors, their subordinates and the organization. Hierarchical linear model analysis was run on supervisor and subordinate dyadic data for testing whether subordinates' performance moderated the mediated relationships or not.FindingsThe results suggest that the supervisors' competitive worldviews explain the positive link between their Machiavellianism and subordinates' perceptions of abusive supervision. The results highlight that the mediation effect of supervisors' competitive worldviews on the link between their Machiavellianism and their subordinates' perceptions of abusive supervision is more pronounced when subordinates' performance is low than when it is high.Research limitations/implicationsThis research contributes to the authors’ knowledge of the link between supervisors' Machiavellianism and abusive supervision, and how the toxic influence of their Machiavellianism is mediated by supervisors' competitive worldviews.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature on abusive supervision and personality by studying the role of personality as an antecedent of abusive supervision. Further, this study used subordinates' performance as a contextual variable for understanding abusive supervision.

Employees' feedback-seeking strategies and perceptions of abusive supervision

I investigated the relationship between the strategies (inquiry and monitoring) employees use in the context of feedback-seeking behavior (FSB), and their perception of abusive supervision. Participants were 187 employees with various occupations, from whom survey data were collected in two waves. Empirical results indicate that inquiry FSB was negatively related to the perception of abusive supervision, whereas monitoring FSB was positively related to the perception of abusive supervision. Many studies have shown that FSB positively influences employees. However, I found that FSB does not necessarily benefit supervisors; rather, the strategies used need to be considered in examining the outcomes of FSB. My findings enrich the literature on subordinate-related predictors of abusive supervision, which have received relatively little prior research attention.

Abusive and Coaching Supervision and its Relation to Nurses’ Talent

Background: Talented nurses create differential value and make contributions to their hospitals and through good supervision nurses taking responsibility for developing and maintaining their talents in the work practices. Aim of the study: explore the relation between abusive and coaching supervision and nurses’ talent. Research design: Descriptive correlational research design was applied to achieve the aim of the present study. Sample: All (410) nurses working at Tanta University Main Hospital. Setting: Tanta University Main Hospital. Tools: Three Structured Questionnaire were used for data collection: Nurses' Perception of Abusive Supervision, Nurses' Perception of Coaching Supervision, and Nurses, Talent Assessment. Results: Majority of nurses had low perception levels to overall abusive supervision. More than half of nurses had high perception levels of overall coaching supervision and most of them had high levels of overall nurses’ talent. Conclusion: There was negative significant correlation between abusive supervision and nurses’ talent, while there was positive significant correlation between coaching supervision and nurses’ talent. Recommendations: The hospital administration should provide supervisors with adequate, regular and timely feedback about both strength and weakness points in their supervision. Nurse supervisors enhance the talented nurses to reach high- talent level by continuous and focused practice and training courses.

Subordinates' performance-prove goal orientation and their perception of abusive supervision

I investigated the relationship between subordinates' performanceprove goal orientation and their perception of abusive supervision, and examined whether feedback-seeking behavior toward supervisors mediated this link. I collected data using a three-wave survey of 173 employees who were working in a variety of occupations in Taiwan. Empirical results indicate that when subordinates had a performanceprove goal orientation, their perception of abusive supervision was partially decreased through their feedback-seeking behavior toward supervisors. Specifically, those employees with a higher (vs. lower) performance-prove goal orientation sought more feedback from supervisors and, thus, perceived abusive supervision to a lesser degree. These findings contribute to the literature on the antecedents of abusive supervision in terms of subordinate-related factors. Managerial implications are proposed to enable employees to be aware of how their job performance is understood and viewed by their supervisors.

Can’t Stop Eating My Feelings: The Maladaptive Responses of abused employees

Although organizational research on abusive supervision and its detrimental effects on individuals and organizations has become increasingly popular, little attention has been paid to subordinate’s maladaptive responses to abusive supervision. We, synthesize on self-regulatory theory, to investigate one common but ignored subordinate’s maladaptive response to abusive supervision: subordinate overeating behavior. We conducted a multi-wave experience sampling study on ten consecutive working days (N = 115 employees and 1150 daily surveys) to investigate the relationship of abusive supervision, subordinate negative mood, and overeating behavior. We, from the perspective of self-regulatory impairment, found that subordinate’s perceptions of abusive supervision instills a sense of negative mood, which in turn loses control over his/her behavioral intentions towards overeating behavior. Moreover, our findings found that subordinate’s recovery experiences at the workplace mitigates the depleting effects of abusive supervision, such that employees are less susceptible to the effects of abusive supervision on overeating behavior when they are high in recovery experiences at the workplace. Implication for theory and practice are discussed.

Does abusive supervision lead nurses to suffer from workplace violence? A cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to (1) assess the current status of Chinese nurses' exposure to workplace violence; (2) identify the cluster of interrelationships between abusive supervision, anxiety and depression symptoms, work ability, and workplace violence in nursing settings; and (3) clarify the functional mechanism among these variables. A cross-sectional survey was conducted online from September to October 2020 in China. A total of 1,221 valid questionnaires were collected across 100 cities in 31 provinces. Approximately 67.57% of participants experienced workplace violence in the past one year, in the types of verbal violence (59.71%), made difficulties (43.16%), mobbing behaviour (26.70%), smear reputation (22.52%), physical violence (11.30%), intimidating behaviour (10.16%) and sexual harassment (4.10%), respectively. Moreover, nurses' exposure to workplace violence was significantly and positively influenced by the perceptions of abusive supervision (β=0.209, p<.01) and the symptoms of anxiety and depression (β=0.328, p<.01). Anxious and depressive symptoms partly mediated the association between abusive supervision and workplace violence, which were significantly moderated by work ability (β=-0.021, p<.05). Our study assesses the prevalence of the seven types of workplace violence against Chinese nurses. Majority of nurses have experienced different types of workplace violence. Nurses who are abused by their supervisor are more likely to develop poor psychological health than those who are not. Moreover, nurses' positive association of abusive supervision with workplace violence is more notable among nurses with lower work ability. 'No abusive supervision, no workplace violence'. A harmonious nursing environment needs to be provided to minimize exposure to workplace violence and mental health threats towards nursing staff, which is a key point for hospital administrators and health policymakers. Essential work ability should be developed to reduce the damage of the abusive supervision and workplace violence against nurses.

Being suspicious in the workplace: the role of suspicion and negative views of others in the workplace in the perception of abusive supervision

PurposeResearch reported in this manuscript focuses on the relationship between trait suspicion and the perception of abusive supervision. Based on previous research, the authors assume that suspicion is positively related to the perception of abusive supervision. The role implicit theories play in this relationship is examined.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies are presented to examine the relationship between trait suspicion and the perception of abusive supervision as moderated by implicit leadership theories. The first study is a survey study, and the second study is an experimental vignette study.FindingsResults of both studies indicate that suspicion is positively related to the perception of abusive supervision and that implicit leadership theories moderate the relationship between suspicion and the perception of abusive supervision.Research limitations/implicationsResults are interpreted in terms of biases in leadership perception as well as the reversing-the-lens perspective.Originality/valueWhile there is progress in taking into account follower characteristics and the resulting perceptual biases in the study of constructive leadership phenomena such as transformational leadership, less is know about the follower perception aspect of destructive leadership phenomena. With this research, the authors extend research into the influence of follower characteristics on the perception of abusive supervision and also look at boundary conditions of this relationship by including implicit leadership theories as a moderator.

눈에는 눈 이에는 이? 비인격적 감독에 있어 상사에 대한 부하의 연민과 용서

Based on the atturibution theory, the purpose of this study is to show that subordinates who attribute abusive supervision to supervisors will strengthen their anger toward supervisor and supervisor-directed aggression, but those who attribute it to themselves will be positive in their sympathy and forgiveness for supervisor. It is meaningful to understand the emotions and behaviors of subordinates who respond to the stimulus of abusive supervision in relation to the understanding of the cause of events (abusive supervision), which is the core of attribution theory. Thus, we tested a moderated mediation model predicting various feelings and reactions given the attribution targets of abused subordinates. Using the survey responses of 329 participants, this study found that perception of abusive supervision was positively related to forgiveness for supervisor through its association with sympathy for supervisor. We also found that self-directed attribution moderated the indirect effects for forgiveness for supervisor through the sympathy for supervisor. Our results demonstrate the relationship between various emotions and behaviors of subordinates resulting from abusive supervision, and provide theoretical implications, especially in testing the novel idea of subordinates’ sympathy and forgiveness for supervisors. Based on our results and implications, this study contributes to the field of abusive supervision research by showing the reason and mechanism for why some recipients of abuse are silent but others not.