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dc.contributor.authorLiang, Lindie Hanyu
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-22 13:02:34 (GMT)
dc.date.available2017-04-23 04:50:21 (GMT)
dc.date.issued2016-04-22
dc.date.submitted2016-04-12
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/10391
dc.description.abstractAbusive supervision is a growing problem confronting organizations. In this dissertation, across two essays, I examine both the causes and the consequences of abusive supervision. In Essay 1, I answer the question when and why do supervisors abuse poor performing employees. Building on prior work showing that abusive supervision is a reaction to subordinates’ poor performance, I develop a self-control framework to outline when and why supervisors abuse poor performing subordinates. In particular, I argue poor performing subordinates instill in supervisors a sense of hostility towards the subordinate, which in turn leads to engaging in abusive supervision. Within this self-control framework, poor performance is more likely to lead to abusive supervision when (a) the magnitude of the hostility experienced is higher (e.g., for those with a hostile attribution bias), or (b) the translation of hostility into abusive supervision is unconstrained (e.g., for those who are low in trait mindfulness). In two experimental studies with full-time supervisors where we manipulated the independent variable (Study 1) and the mediator (Study 2), and in a multi-wave and multi-source field study with data collected from supervisor-subordinate teams (50 supervisors and 206 subordinates) at two time points (Study 3), I found overall support for our predictions. In Essay 2, I answer the question under what circumstances and why the detrimental effect of abusive supervision on subordinate well-being can be mitigated. When a subordinate receives abusive treatment from a supervisor, a natural response is to retaliate against the supervisor. Although the majority of the abusive supervision literature has suggested that retaliation is dysfunctional and should be discouraged, I offer an alternative narrative by suggesting that retaliation may have a beneficial purpose. Based on the notion that retaliation following mistreatment can restore justice for victims, I propose a functional theory of retaliation and predict that retaliation alleviates the effect of abusive supervision on subordinate well-being by virtue of restoring subordinate justice perceptions. In an experimental study using vignettes (Study 1), two additional experimental studies (Study 2A and 2B), and a field survey study with two independent samples (Study 3), I found general support for our predictions. Overall, the results of these two essays shed light on the phenomenon abusive supervision in terms of understanding its causes and consequences.en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherUniversity of Waterlooen
dc.subjectLeadershipen
dc.subjectSelf-Controlen
dc.subjectAbusive supervisionen
dc.subjectWorkplace aggressionen
dc.subjectWell-beingen
dc.titleOn the Causes and Consequences of Abusive Supervisionen
dc.typeDoctoral Thesisen
dc.pendingfalse
uws-etd.degree.departmentPsychologyen
uws-etd.degree.disciplinePsychologyen
uws-etd.degree.grantorUniversity of Waterlooen
uws-etd.degreeDoctor of Philosophyen
uws-etd.embargo.terms1 yearen
uws.contributor.advisorBrown, Douglas
uws.contributor.affiliation1Faculty of Artsen
uws.published.cityWaterlooen
uws.published.countryCanadaen
uws.published.provinceOntarioen
uws.typeOfResourceTexten
uws.peerReviewStatusUnrevieweden
uws.scholarLevelGraduateen


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