Examining the within-person effects of abusive supervision on multifoci deviance: Ethical climate as a moderator

We examine the dynamic mechanism by which daily abusive supervision affects daily multifoci deviance through daily negative emotion and investigate the boundary conditions of this mechanism. Using a daily diary sample from 73 employees completed with quantitative responses for five consecutive weekdays, we find that daily abusive supervision has a significant positive effect on daily organization-, supervisor-, coworker-, and customer-directed deviance and that daily negative emotion mediates these relationships. A supplementary study reveals that the indirect effect of daily abusive supervision on daily supervisor-directed deviance mainly occurs via anger and that the indirect effect of daily abusive supervision on daily organization-, coworker-, and customer-directed deviance mainly occurs via general negative emotions (distress and nervousness). The moderation results show that instrumental climate has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between negative emotion and customer- and coworker-directed deviant behavior. A caring climate has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between negative emotion and organization-, supervisor-, and coworker-directed deviant behavior. The other moderation effects are not supported. These findings can be used to manage deviant workplace behaviors.