Prof. Audrey Korsgaard (University of South Carolina)
Program
- Date: 12.06.08
Time: 12:30 - 14:00
Location: Room 211b, Ludwigstr. 28/VG
A Closer Look at Trust between Managers and Subordinates
Despite previous calls to examine trust from the perspectives of both the manager and subordinate, most studies have focused exclusively on trust in the manager. We propose that trust in the subordinate has unique consequences beyond trust in the manager. Furthermore, we propose joint effects of trust such that subordinate behavior and intentions are most favorable when there is high mutual trust. Findings revealed unique relationships of trust in manager and trust in subordinate to performance, organizational citizenship behavior, and intentions to quit. Further, the interaction of trust in manager and trust in subordinate predicted individual-directed OCB in the hypothesized direction.
- Date: 18.06.08
Time: 09:30 - 11:00
Location: Room 211b, Ludwigstr. 28/VG
Understanding the Relationship between Cynicism and Trust
This investigation explores the nature of cynicism, its relationship to interpersonal trust, and how behavior influences the impact of cynicism on trust. We propose that cynicism represents an attitude composed of negative beliefs and feelings that influences individuals’ perceptions of events and behavior, which in turn affect their trust. This process is most likely to occur when situational cues are ambiguous. Three studies investigate this proposition. Using a projective task, Study 1 demonstrated that cynicism is associated with negative beliefs, feelings and a lack of trust. Study 2, a field survey, supported a mediating role for perceived events, measured in terms of met expectations, in the relationship between cynicism and trust. Study 3, an experiment in which we manipulated the trustworthy behavior of a referent, found that when the words and actions of others are clearly trustworthy or untrustworthy, cynicism has little influence on perceptions of trust, but when they are ambiguous, cynicism has a strong effect on the interpretation of behavior. The results indicate that cynicism biases interpretations of ambiguous events and behavior, thereby leading to lower trust but that strong trustworthy behavior mitigates the effect of cynicism on trust.
- Date: 25.06.08
Time: 17:15-18:45
Location: Room 026, Ludwigstr. 28/RG
Multiple Motives for Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Employees often engage in helpful, cooperative behaviors that extend beyond job requirements, known as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB, Organ, 1988). Because OCB can have a substantial impact on work unit performance, research has focused on identifying its causes, such as organizational justice and job satisfaction. However, fewer studies have explored the psychological basis for these relationships and the mechanisms of OCB continue to be debated. Drawing on the theory of other orientation and on social exchange theory, we focus on two potential mechanisms, expected returns and the norm of reciprocity, and posit that the extent to which these processes occur depends on other-oriented motives. In two laboratory studies, we demonstrate that persons higher in other orientation were more likely to reciprocate in the absence of expected future returns. In Study 1 we examined this issue using dispositional differences in other orientation. In Study 2 we replicate this finding with a situational source of other orientation and demonstrate the importance of expected returns for persons who are not other-oriented.