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When and Why Do Good People Not Do Good Deeds? Third-Party Observers’ Unfavorable Reactions to Negative Workplace Gossip

Author

Listed:
  • Xing Zhou

    (Xiamen University)

  • Lele Fan

    (Xiamen University)

  • Cong Cheng

    (Zhejiang University of Technology, Xihu District)

  • Yancheng Fan

    (Zhejiang University of Technology, Xihu District)

Abstract

A small but growing body of research suggests that witnessing mistreatment affects third-party observers’ attitudes and behaviors. Based on the framework of belief in a just world theory, this study examines perverse secondary victimization which is particularly pervasive in negative workplace gossip from a third-party perspective but has nonetheless received little attention in organizational research. We present a moderated mediation model and hypothesize that third-party observers’ deservingness judgment would mediate the effect of observed negative workplace gossip and interact with their just world beliefs (BJW) in predicting their unfavorable reactions toward the target (i.e., withholding target support, engaging in target exclusion, or target negative gossip). Additionally, an observer’s BJW would exacerbate the positive relationship between observed negative workplace gossip and deservingness judgment, that is, third-party observers with high BJW are more susceptible to victim derogation bias and consider that the target of gossip deserved the victimization experience to maintain their worldview. Data were collected from 210 full-time employees through online questionnaires and the empirical results supported the hypotheses. The study discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Xing Zhou & Lele Fan & Cong Cheng & Yancheng Fan, 2021. "When and Why Do Good People Not Do Good Deeds? Third-Party Observers’ Unfavorable Reactions to Negative Workplace Gossip," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(3), pages 599-617, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:171:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-020-04470-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-020-04470-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Vanessa Begemann & Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock & Maie Stein, 2023. "Peeling Away the Layers of Workplace Gossip: A Framework, Review, and Future Research Agenda to Study Workplace Gossip as a Dynamic and Complex Behavior," Merits, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-21, April.
    2. Rezwan Ullah & Muhammad Zada & Imran Saeed & Jawad Khan & Muhammad Shahbaz & Alejandro Vega-Muñoz & Guido Salazar-Sepúlveda, 2021. "Have You Heard That—“GOSSIP”? Gossip Spreads Rapidly and Influences Broadly," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-16, December.

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