Department of Organizational Behavior.
Department of Management and Organization, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.
J Appl Psychol. 2015 Jan;100(1):98-113. doi: 10.1037/a0036708. Epub 2014 Apr 28.
This research tested the idea that the risk of exclusion from one's group motivates group members to engage in unethical behaviors that secure better outcomes for the group (pro-group unethical behaviors). We theorized that this effect occurs because those at risk of exclusion seek to improve their inclusionary status by engaging in unethical behaviors that benefit the group; we tested this assumption by examining how the effect of exclusion risk on pro-group unethical behavior varies as a function of group members' need for inclusion. A 2-wave field study conducted among a diverse sample of employees working in groups (Study 1) and a constructive replication using a laboratory experiment (Study 2) provided converging evidence for the theory. Study 1 found that perceived risk of exclusion from one's workgroup predicted employees' engagement in pro-group unethical behaviors, but only when employees have a high (not low) need for inclusion. In Study 2, compared to low risk of exclusion from a group, high risk of exclusion led to more pro-group (but not pro-self) unethical behaviors, but only for participants with a high (not low) need for inclusion. We discuss implications for theory and the management of unethical behaviors in organizations.
本研究检验了这样一种观点，即被群体排斥的风险促使群体成员从事有利于群体的不道德行为（亲群体不道德行为）。我们的理论假设是，这种效应的产生是因为处于被排斥风险中的个体试图通过从事有利于群体的不道德行为来提高其包容地位；我们通过检验排斥风险对亲群体不道德行为的影响如何随群体成员对包容的需求而变化，来检验这一假设。一项在从事群体工作的多样化员工中进行的 2 波现场研究（研究 1）和一项使用实验室实验的复制研究（研究 2）为该理论提供了一致的证据。研究 1 发现，员工感知到被其工作群体排斥的风险预测了他们从事亲群体不道德行为的倾向，但只有当员工对包容有较高（而非较低）的需求时才会如此。在研究 2 中，与群体排斥的低风险相比，高排斥风险导致更多的亲群体（而非亲自我）不道德行为，但只有当参与者对包容有较高（而非较低）的需求时才会如此。我们讨论了这些发现对理论和组织中不道德行为管理的意义。
