title: Who abuses their coworkers? An examination of personality and situational variables.
abstract: This study examines predictors of abusive employee behavior toward coworkers. We examined two personality variables, negative affectivity and political skill, and two situational relationship variables-team member exchange and coworker relationship conflict. We tested our hypotheses with data obtained from a sample of 232 working employees. We found that political skill and team member exchange were negatively related to coworker abuse, whereas negative affectivity and relationship conflict were positively related. Additionally, we found statistical support for the negative affectivity-relationship conflict, political skill-team member exchange, and political skill-relationship conflict interactions. Practical implications and directions for future research are provided.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University Southeast, Department of Management, 4201 Grant Line Road, New Albany, IN 47150, USA. harriskj@ius.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Samantha L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Booth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D002605:Character; D003142:Communication; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010559:Personnel Management; D011057:Politics; D012307:Risk Factors