It’s all about control: The role of self-control in buffering the effects of negative reciprocity beliefs and trait anger on workplace deviance

Abstract Drawing upon the general aggression model, general theory of crime, and the integrative cognitive model of trait anger, we examined the role of self-control in buffering the effects of negative reciprocity beliefs and trait anger on workplace deviance. A total of 125 employees participated in the study. Results supported the hypothesized direct effects of negative reciprocity beliefs, trait anger, and self-control on archival data on workplace deviance. In addition, self-control moderated these relationships. Specifically, there was a weaker positive relationship between negative reciprocity beliefs, trait anger and workplace deviance for employees with high as opposed to low levels of self-control. These findings supported the view that self-control can override predispositions to engage in deviant behaviors.

[1]  Alex R. Piquero,et al.  The stability of self-control , 2002 .

[2]  M. Polakowski,et al.  Linking self- and social control with deviance: Illuminating the structure underlying a general theory of crime and its relation to deviant activity , 1994 .

[3]  R. Cairns,et al.  Growth and aggression: I. Childhood to early adolescence. , 1989 .

[4]  A. Eagly,et al.  Gender and helping behavior: A meta-analytic review of the social psychological literature. , 1986, Psychological bulletin.

[5]  Chockalingam Viswesvaran,et al.  Assessment of Individual Job Performance: A Review of the past Century and a Look Ahead , 2001 .

[6]  J. Archer.  Sex Differences in Aggression in Real-World Settings: A Meta-Analytic Review , 2004 .

[7]  P. Pintrich,et al.  Handbook of self-regulation , 2000 .

[8]  A. Vazsonyi,et al.  Are Developmental Processes Affected by Immigration? Family Processes, Internalizing Behaviors, and Externalizing Behaviors , 2006 .

[9]  R. Bennett,et al.  Social Status and Aggressiveness as Moderators of the Relationship Between Interactional Justice and Workplace Deviance , 2004 .

[10]  N. Anderson,et al.  Handbook of Industrial, Work & Organizational Psychology , 2001 .

[11]  W. Mischel,et al.  Willpower in a cognitive-affective processing system: The dynamics of delay of gratification. , 2004 .

[12]  Richard E. Tremblay,et al.  The development of aggressive behaviour during childhood: What have we learned in the past century? , 2000 .

[13]  A. Bernardo,et al.  McKinley's questionable bequest: over 100 years of English in Philippine education , 2004 .

[14]  Michael D. Robinson,et al.  The Cognitive Basis of Trait Anger and Reactive Aggression: An Integrative Analysis , 2008, Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

[15]  Robert A. Baron,et al.  Aggression in the Workplace: A Social-Psychological Perspective. , 1997 .

[16]  L. R. Huesmann,et al.  Children's normative beliefs about aggression and aggressive behavior. , 1997, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[17]  R. Bennett,et al.  A TYPOLOGY OF DEVIANT WORKPLACE BEHAVIORS: A MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING STUDY , 1995 .

[18]  William A. Scott,et al.  Values and organizations : a study of fraternities and sororities , 1965 .

[19]  Michael R. Gottfredson,et al.  A general theory of crime. , 1992 .

[20]  D. Marlowe,et al.  A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. , 1960, Journal of consulting psychology.

[21]  R. C. Katz,et al.  Effects of anger control training on abusive parents , 1983, Cognitive Therapy and Research.

[22]  P. Lynch,et al.  Reciprocation of perceived organizational support. , 2001, The Journal of applied psychology.

[23]  Mark J. Martinko,et al.  Exploring the role of individual differences in the prediction of workplace aggression. , 2001, The Journal of applied psychology.

[24]  N. Turner,et al.  Predicting workplace aggression: a meta-analysis. , 2007, The Journal of applied psychology.

[25]  A. Gouldner.  THE NORM OF RECIPROCITY: A PRELIMINARY STATEMENT * , 1960 .

[26]  R. Baumeister,et al.  Losing Control: How and Why People Fail at Self-Regulation , 1994 .

[27]  Maureen L. Ambrose,et al.  Abusive supervision and workplace deviance and the moderating effects of negative reciprocity beliefs. , 2007, The Journal of applied psychology.

[28]  P. Bordia,et al.  When employees strike back: investigating mediating mechanisms between psychological contract breach and workplace deviance. , 2008, The Journal of applied psychology.

[29]  P. Bordia,et al.  Behavioural Outcomes of Psychological Contract Breach in a Non-Western Culture: The Moderating Role of Equity Sensitivity , 2007 .

[30]  Stephanie V. Rohdieck,et al.  Who Takes the most Revenge? Individual Differences in Negative Reciprocity Norm Endorsement , 2004, Personality & social psychology bulletin.

[31]  T. Denson,et al.  The moderating role of prior exposure to aggressive home culture in the relationship between negative reciprocity beliefs and aggression , 2010 .

[32]  D. Rousseau,et al.  Trends in organizational behavior , 2000 .

[33]  E. Finkel,et al.  Self-control and accommodation in close relationships: an interdependence analysis. , 2001, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[34]  C. Nathan DeWall,et al.  Violence restrained: Effects of self-regulation and its depletion on aggression , 2007 .

[35]  Joel H. Neuman,et al.  Workplace Violence and Workplace Aggression: Evidence Concerning Specific Forms, Potential Causes, and Preferred Targets , 1998 .

[36]  J. Dollard.  Hostility and Fear in Social Life , 1938 .

[37]  K. Vohs,et al.  Handbook of self-regulation : research, theory, and applications , 2004 .

[38]  R. Baumeister,et al.  High self-control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades, and interpersonal success. , 2004, Journal of personality.

[39]  R. Eisenberger,et al.  Perceived organizational support: a review of the literature. , 2002, The Journal of applied psychology.

[40]  Judith M. Collins,et al.  Dysfunctional behavior in organizations: Violent and deviant behavior. , 1998 .

[41]  Remus Ilies,et al.  Hostility, job attitudes, and workplace deviance: test of a multilevel model. , 2006, The Journal of applied psychology.

[42]  Todd F. Heatherton,et al.  The cognitive neuroscience of self-regulation. In R.F. Baumeister & K.D. Vohs (Eds.) New York: Guilford Press , 2004 .

[43]  C. Spielberger,et al.  Measuring the experience, expression, and control of anger. , 1995, Issues in comprehensive pediatric nursing.

[44]  A. Bandura.  Social learning theory , 1977 .

[45]  R. Lewicki.  Research on Negotiation in Organizations , 1990 .

[46]  R. Bennett,et al.  Workplace deviance: Its definition, its manifestations, and its causes. , 1997 .

[47]  C. Spielberger,et al.  Advances in personality assessment , 1982 .

[48]  R. S. Lynch,et al.  Driving anger: correlates and a test of state-trait theory , 2001 .

[49]  A. Zeichner,et al.  Effects of Trait Anger and Negative Attitudes Towards Women on Physical Assault in Dating Relationships , 2003, Journal of Family Violence.

[50]  S. West,et al.  Multiple Regression: Testing and Interpreting Interactions. , 1994 .

[51]  Paul E. Spector,et al.  Does your coworker know what you're doing? Convergence of self- and peer-reports of counterproductive work behavior. , 2007 .