"Making Nice or Faking Nice? Exploring Supervisors’ Two-faced Response " by Shawn T. McClean, Stephen H. Courtright et al.

Department of Management

 

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2021

Citation

Personnel Psychology (2021) 74: 693–719

doi: 10.1111/peps.12424

Comments

Copyright © 2020, Wiley. Used by permission

Abstract

Although extant research has shown that abusive supervision is a destructive and immoral form of leader behavior, theory provides conflicting perspectives on how supervisors respond to their own abusive behavior. We therefore draw upon and integrate moral cleansing theory and impression management and construction theory to explore whether and when supervisors engage in genuine reparations or impression management following episodes of abusive behavior. Results taken from a 3-week, experience sampling study of supervisors suggest support for the impression management path; following episodes of abusive behavior, supervisors higher on symbolized moral identity become more concerned with their image, and thus engage in increased ingratiation, self-promotion, and exemplification toward their subordinates. In contrast, we found no support for the genuine, moral cleansing path. This study thus extends knowledge regarding supervisors’ responses to their own abusive behavior, challenging the existing notion that such responses are genuine and focused on addressing the moral implications of the behavior.

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