Psychology Ph.D. Dissertations

Title

Retaliatory Behavior as a Response to Executive Compensation

Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Psychology/Industrial-Organizational

First Advisor

Scott Highhouse (Advisor)

Second Advisor

Margaret Brooks (Committee Member)

Third Advisor

Chen Yiwei (Committee Member)

Fourth Advisor

Daniel Fasko (Committee Member)

Abstract

This study examined the relation between employee attitudes toward executive compensation and counterproductive work behavior directed at individuals and the organization. Results indicated that employee attitudes toward executive compensation were related to abuse toward others in the workplace. Contrary to expectations, employee attitudes toward executive compensation were not related to counterproductive behavior directed at the organization. Furthermore, organizational and work-group identification did not moderate this relation as expected. Finally, results differed for men and women. Men’s attitudes toward executive compensation were related to abuse toward others, but women’s attitudes were related to production deviance. Thus, negative attitudes toward executive compensation may be associated with different deviant behavior for men and women. Whereas men are more likely to engage in negative behavior toward other people (e.g., yelling), women are more likely to engage in negative behavior toward their work (e.g., work slowly).

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