The stereotype rub-off effect – Organizational stereotypes modulate behavioural expectations, expectancy violation and punishment after transgressions

Peer Stiegert, Susanne Täuber, Marijke C. Leliveld and Jana Oehmichen

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2021, vol. 165, issue C, 127-138

Abstract: Transgressions committed by employees of non-profit (vs. of for-profit) organizations seem to be judged more harshly by the public. This research studies the underlying process of this relationship. We show that organizational stereotypes of morality and warmth “rub-off” from organizations to individuals affiliated with them (Study 1, N = 297). We show that stereotypes of morality and warmth predict expected communal sharing and market pricing behaviour. (Study 2, N = 300). Next, we identify downstream effects of this stereotype rub-off effect in case of transgressions. We show that communal sharing expectations elicit greater perceived expectancy violation and consequently higher punishment when employees commit transgressions (Study 3, N = 402). In sum, as a result of high perceived morality and warmth and subsequent expectations of communal sharing, transgressions of employees affiliated with non-profit organizations prompt increased expectancy violation in observers, leading to harsher punishment. Our findings have important implications for public relations management of non-profit organizations.

Keywords: Organizational stereotypes; For-profit; Non-profit; Organizational affiliation; Relational models; Attribution; Transgressions; Expectancy violation; Punishment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:165:y:2021:i:c:p:127-138

DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2021.04.011

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