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An identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision

PURPOSE: Drawing from identity threat theory, this study aims to understand how and when employee voice can lead to abusive supervision. It proposes and examines a theoretical model in which employee voice is linked to abusive supervision through the mediating effect of leader identity threat. METHO...

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Autores principales: Wu, Lei, Long, Anna, Hu, Chenbang, Xu, Yunpeng
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10284016/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37351437
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1133480
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author Wu, Lei
Long, Anna
Hu, Chenbang
Xu, Yunpeng
author_facet Wu, Lei
Long, Anna
Hu, Chenbang
Xu, Yunpeng
author_sort Wu, Lei
collection PubMed
description PURPOSE: Drawing from identity threat theory, this study aims to understand how and when employee voice can lead to abusive supervision. It proposes and examines a theoretical model in which employee voice is linked to abusive supervision through the mediating effect of leader identity threat. METHODS: We conducted a field study by collecting data from 93 supervisors and 533 subordinates in China at two different points in time. A structural equation model and Mplus software were used to examine the direct relationship between employee voice and abusive supervision, as well as the mediating effect of leader identity threat and the moderating effect of supervisor traditionality. RESULTS: Our results showed that employee voice was positively related to leader identity threat and had an indirect effect on abusive supervision via leader identity threat. In addition, we found that supervisor traditionality moderated the relationship between employee voice and leader identity threat. Subordinates’ voice increased perceptions of leader identity threat among supervisors with high traditionality, whereas supervisors with low traditionality did not make this association. Finally, the indirect effect of employee voice on abusive supervision via leader identity threat was moderated by supervisor traditionality. DISCUSSION: First, this study broadens our understanding of the antecedents of abusive supervision by proposing that employee voice may induce abusive supervision. Second, it develops an identity threat perspective to explain why employee voice is positively related to abusive supervision. Finally, it enriches the research on implicit leadership theories by proposing that supervisors’ cultural values can also influence supervisors’ sense-making of subordinates’ behaviors.
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spelling pubmed-102840162023-06-22 An identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision Wu, Lei Long, Anna Hu, Chenbang Xu, Yunpeng Front Psychol Psychology PURPOSE: Drawing from identity threat theory, this study aims to understand how and when employee voice can lead to abusive supervision. It proposes and examines a theoretical model in which employee voice is linked to abusive supervision through the mediating effect of leader identity threat. METHODS: We conducted a field study by collecting data from 93 supervisors and 533 subordinates in China at two different points in time. A structural equation model and Mplus software were used to examine the direct relationship between employee voice and abusive supervision, as well as the mediating effect of leader identity threat and the moderating effect of supervisor traditionality. RESULTS: Our results showed that employee voice was positively related to leader identity threat and had an indirect effect on abusive supervision via leader identity threat. In addition, we found that supervisor traditionality moderated the relationship between employee voice and leader identity threat. Subordinates’ voice increased perceptions of leader identity threat among supervisors with high traditionality, whereas supervisors with low traditionality did not make this association. Finally, the indirect effect of employee voice on abusive supervision via leader identity threat was moderated by supervisor traditionality. DISCUSSION: First, this study broadens our understanding of the antecedents of abusive supervision by proposing that employee voice may induce abusive supervision. Second, it develops an identity threat perspective to explain why employee voice is positively related to abusive supervision. Finally, it enriches the research on implicit leadership theories by proposing that supervisors’ cultural values can also influence supervisors’ sense-making of subordinates’ behaviors. Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-06-07 /pmc/articles/PMC10284016/ /pubmed/37351437 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1133480 Text en Copyright © 2023 Wu, Long, Hu and Xu. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Psychology
Wu, Lei
Long, Anna
Hu, Chenbang
Xu, Yunpeng
An identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision
title An identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision
title_full An identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision
title_fullStr An identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision
title_full_unstemmed An identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision
title_short An identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision
title_sort identity threat perspective on why and when employee voice brings abusive supervision
topic Psychology
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10284016/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37351437
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1133480
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