Observer Reactions to Workplace Mistreatment: It’s a Matter of Perspective
Workplace mistreatment regularly occurs in the presence of others (i.e., observers). The reactions of observers toward those involved in the mistreatment episode have wide-reaching implications. In the current set of studies, we draw on theories of perspective-taking to consider how this form of int...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING FOUNDATION-AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/95303 |
| _version_ | 1848765996316229632 |
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| author | Reich, T.C. Hershcovis, M.S. Lyubykh, Z. Niven, K. Parker, Sharon Stride, C.B. |
| author_facet | Reich, T.C. Hershcovis, M.S. Lyubykh, Z. Niven, K. Parker, Sharon Stride, C.B. |
| author_sort | Reich, T.C. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Workplace mistreatment regularly occurs in the presence of others (i.e., observers). The reactions of observers toward those involved in the mistreatment episode have wide-reaching implications. In the current set of studies, we draw on theories of perspective-taking to consider how this form of interpersonal sensemaking influences observer reactions toward those involved in a witnessed incident of workplace mistreatment. We find that observers’ blame attributions and empathic concern for the individual whose perspective is taken explain the positive effects of perspective-taking on observer attitudes toward and performance evaluations of both the target and instigator of a witnessed incident of mistreatment. We also find that the effect of perspective-taking on observer reactions is stronger when the witnessed mistreatment is more severe. Finally, we find that although observer perspective-taking in the context of mistreatment can be encouraged, the effect seems to benefit instigators’ performance evaluations rather than targets’. Implications for targets, instigators, and organizations are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:44:07Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-95303 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:44:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING FOUNDATION-AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-953032024-08-06T05:19:23Z Observer Reactions to Workplace Mistreatment: It’s a Matter of Perspective Reich, T.C. Hershcovis, M.S. Lyubykh, Z. Niven, K. Parker, Sharon Stride, C.B. Science & Technology Social Sciences Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Psychology, Applied Psychology workplace aggression workplace incivility third parties perspective-taking EMPATHIC CONCERN 3RD-PARTY REACTIONS AGGRESSION ATTRIBUTION ATTITUDES MODEL PERFORMANCE CONSTRUCTS INCIVILITY PREJUDICE Attitude Empathy Humans Social Behavior Social Perception Workplace Humans Attitude Social Behavior Empathy Social Perception Workplace Workplace mistreatment regularly occurs in the presence of others (i.e., observers). The reactions of observers toward those involved in the mistreatment episode have wide-reaching implications. In the current set of studies, we draw on theories of perspective-taking to consider how this form of interpersonal sensemaking influences observer reactions toward those involved in a witnessed incident of workplace mistreatment. We find that observers’ blame attributions and empathic concern for the individual whose perspective is taken explain the positive effects of perspective-taking on observer attitudes toward and performance evaluations of both the target and instigator of a witnessed incident of mistreatment. We also find that the effect of perspective-taking on observer reactions is stronger when the witnessed mistreatment is more severe. Finally, we find that although observer perspective-taking in the context of mistreatment can be encouraged, the effect seems to benefit instigators’ performance evaluations rather than targets’. Implications for targets, instigators, and organizations are discussed. 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/95303 10.1037/ocp0000205 English EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING FOUNDATION-AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Science & Technology Social Sciences Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Psychology, Applied Psychology workplace aggression workplace incivility third parties perspective-taking EMPATHIC CONCERN 3RD-PARTY REACTIONS AGGRESSION ATTRIBUTION ATTITUDES MODEL PERFORMANCE CONSTRUCTS INCIVILITY PREJUDICE Attitude Empathy Humans Social Behavior Social Perception Workplace Humans Attitude Social Behavior Empathy Social Perception Workplace Reich, T.C. Hershcovis, M.S. Lyubykh, Z. Niven, K. Parker, Sharon Stride, C.B. Observer Reactions to Workplace Mistreatment: It’s a Matter of Perspective |
| title | Observer Reactions to Workplace Mistreatment: It’s a Matter of Perspective |
| title_full | Observer Reactions to Workplace Mistreatment: It’s a Matter of Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Observer Reactions to Workplace Mistreatment: It’s a Matter of Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observer Reactions to Workplace Mistreatment: It’s a Matter of Perspective |
| title_short | Observer Reactions to Workplace Mistreatment: It’s a Matter of Perspective |
| title_sort | observer reactions to workplace mistreatment: it’s a matter of perspective |
| topic | Science & Technology Social Sciences Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Psychology, Applied Psychology workplace aggression workplace incivility third parties perspective-taking EMPATHIC CONCERN 3RD-PARTY REACTIONS AGGRESSION ATTRIBUTION ATTITUDES MODEL PERFORMANCE CONSTRUCTS INCIVILITY PREJUDICE Attitude Empathy Humans Social Behavior Social Perception Workplace Humans Attitude Social Behavior Empathy Social Perception Workplace |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/95303 |