We conducted a study to test the interactive effects of abusive supervision, ingratiation, and positive affect (PA) on strain (i.e., job tension and emotional exhaustion) and turnover intentions. We hypothesized that employees' use of ingratiation, when coupled with high levels of PA, would neutralize the adverse effects of abusive supervision on each outcome. Conversely, ingratiation tactics were hypothesized to have a detrimental influence on work outcomes in conditions of increased abusive supervision when employees' PA was low. Partial support was found for each hypothesis, with results indicating that low PA individuals who refrained from ingratiation experienced more strain and turnover intentions than other individuals. Implications of these results as well as strengths, limitations, and avenues for future research are discussed.
Abusive supervision is a phenomenon that negatively affects a substantial number of organizations and their members. Recent research indicates that between 10% and 16% of American workers experience abusive supervision on a regular basis (Namie and Namie, 2000 and Tepper et al., 2004). More alarmingly, media reports indicate that the frequency of such abuse has increased in recent years (e.g., Workplace bullies, 2005).
This trend is disconcerting given the array of undesirable subordinate outcomes, including turnover, stress, emotional exhaustion, and perceived injustice associated with abusive supervision (Tepper, 2000). Despite these serious consequences, our understanding of the effects of abusive supervision on individual reactions is fairly limited. Although the negative influence of abusive supervision has been observed in past research (i.e., a little is bad, more is worse; e.g., Brown, Treviño, & Harrison, 2005), less is currently known about potential moderators, especially with respect to factors that can mitigate the adverse effects of abusive supervision. Knowledge of such factors is important because, as Tepper (2000) noted, subordinates might frequently be reluctant to report abusive supervisors, but individual differences may allow some to cope with abusive supervision more effectively than others.
To this end, the goal of this study is to add to existing research on factors that can attenuate the negative influence of abusive supervision (e.g., Tepper, 2000 and Tepper et al., 2001) by examining how ingratiation, combined with high levels of positive affect (PA), interacts with abusive supervision to influence job strain (tension and emotional exhaustion) and turnover intentions. We hypothesized that high PA individuals are able to more effectively use ingratiation tactics to reduce the negative influence of abusive supervision when compared to those with low levels of PA. This prediction is based on research (Castro et al., 2003 and Forgas, 1998) indicating that PA can influence the effectiveness of social influence strategies such as ingratiation. To develop this argument, we begin with a review of pertinent research on abusive supervision.
