Missed, Dissed, or Dismissed…then Assist? How Identity Impacts Bystander Responses to Workplace Mistreatment
Journal
Dismantling Bias Conference
Type
conference contribution
Author(s)
Research Team
Eugenia Bajet Mestre (PhD Student, Eugenia Bajet Mestre (PhD Student, CCDI)
Professor Dr. Gudrun Sander (PRIMA Host & CCDI Director)
Professor Dr. Winfried Ruigrok (CCDI Director), CCDI)
Professor Dr. Gudrun Sander (PRIMA Host & CCDI Director)
Professor D
Professor Dr. Gudrun Sander (PRIMA Host & CCDI Director)
Professor Dr. Winfried Ruigrok (CCDI Director), CCDI)
Professor Dr. Gudrun Sander (PRIMA Host & CCDI Director)
Professor D
Abstract
Integrating a social identity approach with selective incivility theory, we examine how identification—with an organization, with one’s gender, and as a feminist—shapes how bystanders interpret and respond to incivility (i.e., interpersonal acts of disrespect) and selective incivility (i.e., incivility motivated by targets’ social group membership) towards women at work. We propose that bystanders with stronger organizational identification are less likely to perceive incivility towards female colleagues as discrimination, and thus, less likely to intervene, but female bystanders with stronger gender identification are more likely to do so. Using two-wave field data in a cross-lagged panel design (Study 1, N = 336), results showed that organizational identification negatively predicted observed selective incivility one year later; we found no evidence of an impact of female bystanders’ gender identification. We replicated and extended these results with a vignette experiment (Study 2, N = 410) and an experimental recall study (Study 3, N = 504). Findings revealed a “dark side” of organizational identification such that strongly identified bystanders were less likely to recognize incivility as discrimination, but there were again no effects of women’s gender identification; Study 3 also showed that bystander feminist identification increased perceived discrimination and intervention. These results raise doubts that women are more sensitive to (i.e., feel particularly “dissed” by) women’s mistreatment, however, more strongly identified men and women feminists are more dissed and likely to assist (i.e., intervene). Although more strongly organizationally identified employees may “dismiss” women’s mistreatment, they also assist once it is perceived as discriminatory.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SoM - Responsible Corporate Competitiveness (RoCC)
Publisher
Purdue University
Event Title
Dismantling Bias Conference
Event Location
La Fayette, IN, USA
Event Date
March 22-23, 2022
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
266250
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
Dismantling Bias 2022 Gloor abstract.pdf
Size
121.33 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
e6d41d256836d05c41e7cc71a793d1a4