Keywords

family–work conflict, ego depletion, abusive supervision

Abstract

Drawing on resource drain theory, we introduce self-regulatory resource (ego) depletion stemming from family–work conflict (FWC) as an alternative theoretical perspective on why supervisors behave abusively toward subordinates. Our two-study examination of a cross-domain antecedent of abusive supervision stands in contrast to prior research, which has focused primarily on work-related factors that influence abusive supervision. Further, our investigation shows how ego depletion is proximally related to abusive supervision. In the first study, conducted at a Fortune 500 company and designed as a lagged survey study, we found that, after controlling for alternative theoretical mechanisms, supervisors who experienced FWC displayed more abusive behaviors toward subordinates, and that this relationship was stronger for female supervisors and for supervisors who operated in environments with greater situation control. These resultswere then replicated and expanded in an experience sampling study using a multi-organization sample of supervisors. This allowed us to study the FWC–abusive supervision relationship as it emerged on a day-to-day basis and to examine ego depletion as an explanatory mechanism. Consistent with our hypotheses, we found that FWC was associated with abusive supervision, ego depletion acted as a mediator of the FWC–abusive supervision relationship, and that gender and situation control served as moderators.

Original Publication Citation

Courtright, S. H, Gardner, R. G., Smith, T. A., McCormick, B. W., & Colbert, A. E. 2016. My family made me do it: A cross-domain, self-regulatory perspective on antecedents to abusive supervision. Academy of Management Journal, 59: 1630-1652.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2016

Publisher

Academy of Management Journal

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Marketing

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

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