An investigation into workplace exposures linked to the use of glass breaking machinery in BC liquor stores and their possible impact on employee health.

Although an estimated 57% of aggression in the workplace occurs in the presence of others (Glomb, 2002), researchers have yet to consider how observers’ attitudes and behaviours towards targets and perpetrators may be influenced. To address this gap, I draw on theories of priming (Bargh, 2006), relationships (i.e., power and liking), and perspective-taking (e.g., Batson, 1991; Davis, 1983; Parker, Atkins, & Axtell, 2008), to examine how observer attitudes and behaviours toward targets and perpetrators are affected by witnessed aggression. In Study 1, I use a lab-based experimental design, and find that observers develop more negative attitudes towards perpetrators than both non-perpetrators (between conditions) and targets (within condition), and engage in more deviance toward both targets and perpetrators of aggression (as compared to non-targets and non-perpetrators). In Study 2, using an email vignette design, I find that observers’ liking of and power relative to the target and the perpetrator influence observer reactions, as observers are more likely to report positive attitudes and behavioural intentions toward a liked actor than a disliked actor, regardless of whether the actor was the target or the perpetrator of the aggression. In addition, observers report more positive attitudes toward a high power actor than a low powered actor. In Studies 3 and 4, using a video-vignette and an event-based diary design, respectively, I find that observer attitudes and behavioural intentions are also influenced by observer perspective-taking. Specifically, observers who take the perspective of the target perceive the aggression as less justified and thus report more negative attitudes toward the perpetrator (Studies 3 and 4), more positive attitudes toward the target (significant in Study 4 only), fewer helping intentions toward the perpetrator (Study 3), and fewer deviant intentions toward both the target and the perpetrator (Study 3). In contrast, observers who take the perspective of the perpetrator perceive the aggression as more justified, and thus report more positive attitudes toward the perpetrator (Studies 3 and 4), more negative attitudes toward the target (significant in Study 4 only), greater helping intentions toward the perpetrator (Study 3), and greater deviant intentions toward both the target and the perpetrator (Study 3).

Although an estimated 57% of aggression in the workplace occurs in the presence of others (Glomb, 2002), researchers have yet to consider how observers’ attitudes and behaviours towards targets and perpetrators may be influenced. To address this gap, I draw on theories of priming (Bargh, 2006), relationships (i.e., power and liking), and perspective-taking (e.g., Batson, 1991; Davis, 1983; Parker, Atkins, & Axtell, 2008), to examine how observer attitudes and behaviours toward targets and perpetrators are affected by witnessed aggression. In Study 1, I use a lab-based experimental design, and find that observers develop more negative attitudes towards perpetrators than both non-perpetrators (between conditions) and targets (within condition), and engage in more deviance toward both targets and perpetrators of aggression (as compared to non-targets and non-perpetrators). In Study 2, using an email vignette design, I find that observers’ liking of and power relative to the target and the perpetrator influence observer reactions, as observers are more likely to report positive attitudes and behavioural intentions toward a liked actor than a disliked actor, regardless of whether the actor was the target or the perpetrator of the aggression. In addition, observers report more positive attitudes toward a high power actor than a low powered actor. In Studies 3 and 4, using a video-vignette and an event-based diary design, respectively, I find that observer attitudes and behavioural intentions are also influenced by observer perspective-taking. Specifically, observers who take the perspective of the target perceive the aggression as less justified and thus report more negative attitudes toward the perpetrator (Studies 3 and 4), more positive attitudes toward the target (significant in Study 4 only), fewer helping intentions toward the perpetrator (Study 3), and fewer deviant intentions toward both the target and the perpetrator (Study 3). In contrast, observers who take the perspective of the perpetrator perceive the aggression as more justified, and thus report more positive attitudes toward the perpetrator (Studies 3 and 4), more negative attitudes toward the target (significant in Study 4 only), greater helping intentions toward the perpetrator (Study 3), and greater deviant intentions toward both the target and the perpetrator (Study 3).

No description available.

Workplace bullying is a serious and frequently occurring workplace issue that can have a number of negative, sometimes devastating consequences for employees who are targeted. At the same time, there are many employees who, despite being exposed to frequent and persistent bullying in the workplace do not label themselves bullied. This thesis investigated a number of behavioural, individual and contextual variables that were predicted to have an influence on the perceived severity of workplace bullying behaviours and the actual labelling of the behaviours as bullying using established workplace bullying measures and vignettes. Overall, the results indicated that the perceived severity and labelling of workplace bullying behaviours were influenced by the behaviours involved, by characteristics of the employee being subjected to the behaviours, by characteristics of the employee perpetrating the behaviours and by the connection that the target???s co-workers had to the bullying interaction. Specifically, the analyses indicated that behaviours that personally ridiculed the target were perceived as severe and as bullying more frequently than other categories of bullying behaviour. Participant gender and current experience with workplace bullying were also revealed to be predictive of whether negative workplace behaviours were perceived as severe and bullying in nature. The formal position held by the perpetrator relative to the target was revealed to influence whether the behaviours were perceived as severe. The formal position of the perpetrator, the presence of others during the bullying act and the knowledge that others in the workplace were also being targeted significantly influenced whether the behaviours were labelled as bullying in nature.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-129).

Thesis (PhD (Organizational behaviour)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / Abstract in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Iowa, 2008. / Thesis supervisor: Greg L. Stewart. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-161).