The Role of Perspective-Taking in Witnessing Incivility at Work

Incivility is prevalent across various organizations and occupations and has harmful effects on both employees and their organization. Incivility has been found to have negative consequences not only for the victims and perpetrators of incivility, but also for the observers of incivility. This project aims to investigate whether taking the perspective of the instigator rather than the target mitigates the impact of gender on negative reactions to witnessing incivility. Using video vignettes, this research will assess reactions to rudeness in the workplace in a sample of working professionals in the United Kingdom. Organizations entail substantial costs from workplace incivility, and the proposed research may uncover that perspective-taking mitigates the consequences of workplace incivility. Previous research suggests that the gender of the instigator and target of incivility impact observer reactions to incivility. Specifically, observers of incivility tend to rely on gendered stereotypes when witnessing uncivil behaviour at work. Perspective-taking may reduce stereotyping in reactions to witnessing incivility due to increased understanding and sympathy. Further, the proposed research may provide key insights to the current climate of civility in British organizations during the major political changes of Brexit.

Faculty Supervisor:

Joan Finegan

Student:

Partner:

University of Surrey (UK)

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Public Service, Policy, and Governance; Education; Other

University:

Western University

Program: