MORAL THREAT OR MORAL ELEVATION? A REGULATORY FOCUS PERSPECTIVE ON OBSERVER REACTIONS TO ETHICAL VOICE
Open Access
- Author:
- Chen, Anjier
- Graduate Program:
- Management - Business Adminstration
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- May 21, 2020
- Committee Members:
- Linda K Trevino, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Linda K Trevino, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Stephen Humphrey, Committee Member
Carolyn T Dang, Committee Member
Karen Page Winterich, Outside Member
Vilmos Fosnocht Misangyi, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- voice behavior
behavioral ethics
emotions
regulatory focus theory - Abstract:
- Despite the importance of ethical voice for promoting organizational integrity and social responsibility, employees who consider speaking up about ethical issues are fearful of potential negative reactions from colleagues and managers. A small body of research on limited types of ethical voice (i.e., whistle-blowing, peer reporting of unethical behavior, and moral objection) has traditionally emphasized negative observer reactions to ethical voice. Yet, anecdotes and research on moral psychology imply potential positive reactions to ethical voice. To add clarity to the literature, I offer a definition of ethical voice, distinguish it from related constructs, and develop a model of observer reactions to colleague ethical voice behavior. Integrating regulatory focus theory with research on social cognition and moral emotions, I argue that characteristics of ethical voice (framing, emotional expression, and delivery) serve as situational cues that activate more strongly either the prevention moral system or the promotion system in observers, eliciting either moral threat or moral elevation and hence favorable or unfavorable observer reactions to ethical voicers (support, liking, and status evaluation). I further propose moderators of the effects including context characteristics and observer characteristics. Results of a critical incident survey with a working adult sample largely supported the effects of ethical voice characteristics on observer reactions via moral elevation and threat but results did not support the hypothesized moderations. Research implications and practical implications were discussed.