What Drives Trickle-Down Effects? A Test Of Multiple Mediation Processes

Abstract

Organizational research has established the existence of trickle-down effects, wherein the perceptions, attitudes, or behavior of one person in an organization affects those of another person at a lower level. Although current research has explained the phenomenon using several different theoretical perspectives, prior studies have not explicitly tested the theorized mechanisms. This paper develops and tests a model that incorporates three theories of trickle-down effects for interactional justice perceptions: social exchange theory, social learning theory, and displaced aggression. Using crosssectional data from 200 supervisor-subordinate dyads in Study 1 and longitudinal data from 270 supervisor-subordinate dyads in Study 2, we test this multiple mediator model. The results demonstrate that the two aspects of interactional justice perceptions- interpersonal and informational justice perceptions-trickle down fromsupervisors to subordinates through two different mechanisms. Specifically, displaced aggression accounts for the trickle-down effects of interpersonal justice perceptions and social exchange accounts for the trickle-down effects of informational justice perceptions. We discuss the implications of the findings for research on trickle-down effects and organizational justice.

Publication Date

12-1-2015

Publication Title

Academy of Management Journal

Volume

58

Issue

6

Number of Pages

1848-1868

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2013.0670

Socpus ID

84975764301 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84975764301

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