Humanness Is Not Always Positive: Automatic Associations between Incivilities and Human Symbols

Uncivil behavior involves an attack on social norms related to the protection of public property and respect for community life. However, at the same time, the low-frequency and relatively low-intensity damage caused by most of these behaviors could lead to incivilities being considered a typically human action. The purpose of this set of studies is to examine the automatic associations that people establish between humanness and both civic and uncivil behaviors. Across three studies, uncivil behaviors were more strongly associated with human pictures than animal pictures (study 1) and with human-related words than animal-related words (study 2). We replicated study 2 with uncivil behaviors that do not prime graphically human beings (study 3). Overall, our results showed that uncivil behaviors and civic behaviors were clearly associated with human concepts. Our findings have direct implications for the conceptualization of humanness and its denial.

The Power of Schadenfreude: Predicting Behaviors and Perceptions of Trolling Among Reddit Users

Trolling is an uncivil behavior that is increasingly prevalent in online social interactions. This study sought to understand trolling by examining the psychological predictors that motivate trolling behaviors, as well as perceptions of trolling among 438 Reddit users. A path analysis indicated the motivation of schadenfreude mediates the relationship between personality traits (i.e., the dark triad) and trolling. Outspokenness neither directly nor indirectly predicted trolling. Results also showed that Reddit users motivated by schadenfreude and users who exhibit trolling behaviors view trolling as not being a dysfunctional or undesirable response to online discourse. In addition, those with schadenfreude considered the practice of trolling to be functional/comprehensible. Those who merely observe trolling on Reddit did not consider trolling to be a functional part of online discourse. Age, time spent on Reddit, and the dark triad did not predict functional or dysfunctional perceptions of trolling, but gender played a role.

Behind the Curtain: Workplace Incivility—Individual Actors in Cultural Settings

Uncivil behavior at work can have numerous consequences for individuals and the organization. This paper examines the interplay of personality traits and organizational culture as antecedents of workplace incivility. Empirical research on a sample of 251 employees has shown that the perceptions and occurrence of workplace incivility can be significantly related to personality traits and features of organizational culture. When looking at the combined effect of personality and organizational culture, culture determines one’s perception and experience of incivility stronger than personality traits alone. The research showed that personality trait agreeableness and emphasizing values related to clan, market or adhocracy culture could reduce the odds of workplace incivility.

Student Satisfaction: Importance of Civility and University Identification Predictors

Uncivil behavior has recently been a topic of concern within university campuses. Administration, faculty, and students are all subject to engage or experience uncivil conduct. Academic civility is a fundamental variable to establish a positive university environment and teaching-learning outcomes. Objective: The present paper analyzes the concept of civility and incivility within an academic context, offers a dimension perspective of the problem, reviews contributing factors associated with incivility, explores preventative measures for incivility, investigates academic strategies that promote civility, and makes recommendations for intervention strategies. A study that examines relationships between civility, university identification and satisfaction with the university was conducted. Methods: undergraduate students (N=588) from a state university answered a survey that evaluated three variables: civility, university identification, and university satisfaction. Results: Civility was positively related to university identification (r = .11, p = .009) and satisfaction (r = .16, p < .001), and identification was related to greater satisfaction with the university (r = .75, p < .001). Conclusion: Greater levels of civility are correlated with university identification and satisfaction. In order to improve teaching-learning environments, academic institutions are encouraged to promote an environment that is conducive to civility, as well as establish civil behaviors as part of their instruction.

Can leader-member exchange social comparison elicit uncivil employee behavior? The buffering role of aggression-preventive supervisor behavior

Purpose This study aims to examine the role of leader-member exchange social comparison (LMXSC) perceptions in triggering the instigation of uncivil behavior in the workplace. This study also explores the intervening role of envy and the buffering role of aggression-preventive supervisor behavior within the proposed relationship. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected in two phases separated by an interval of four weeks. The final sample consisted of 224 full-time white-collar employees working in five large pharmaceutical manufacturing organizations in India. Findings The findings indicate that employees’ subjective perceptions of being involved in poorer-quality LMX relationships than their workgroup members generate envy, which, in turn, evokes them to instigate uncivil behaviors onto those higher-LMX counterparts. The indirect effect of LMX social comparison on instigated workplace incivility through envy gets attenuated when supervisors engage in aggression-preventive behavior. Practical implications To protect organizations from the financial and productivity losses associated with incivility, supervisors are encouraged to exhibit aggression-preventive behavior if they form differentiated exchange relationships with the subordinates in their teams. Supervisors are further advised to avoid the altogether neglect of lower-LMX subordinates as doing so may give rise to negative emotions (envy) and behavior (incivility) among them. Originality/value This study expands the limited body of knowledge on the antecedents of uncivil employee behavior in the workplace. Specifically, it unveils that incivility toward coworkers may be stemming from unfavorable LMX social comparisons and ensuing negative emotions such as envy. It also offers insights on reducing uncivil behavior by highlighting that the impact of LMXSC and envy on incivility instigation gets buffered in the presence of aggression-preventive supervisor behavior.

Thoughts on Incivility: A Preliminary Study to Identify Uncivil Behavior in Indonesian Higher Education

This preliminary study aims to identify an item list of uncivil behaviors in the Indonesian educational environment. The study comprises three phases: first, a panel of experts assessed each item to ensure their content validity for items pool. The second phase used a cross-sectional design and convenience sampling to recruit 524 students and faculty members in seven provinces in Indonesia using an online survey. The third phase involved ten students from the second phase and several faculty representatives were randomly selected to complete the open-ended questionnaire. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified four factors, including disregard for instructors/annoyances, disrespect for others (verbal and non-verbal), misconduct and integrity violation, and use of cell phones. Furthermore, the results indicate that "getting up during a class,leaving and returning,” “arriving late and/or leaving early," “not paying attention in the class,” “texting,” “packing books before the class is dismissed,” “cheating during an exam,” and “sleeping during the class” were the top seven highest recurring behaviors. This study provides tentative support for a preliminary scale in identifying uncivil behavior among college populations in Indonesia.

Large Group Regression and the Emergence of Psychopolitical Criminality

This article examines criminality that can emerge within the context of a political party’s large group regression. The group behavior of the Democratic party after its loss in the 2016 United States Presidential election serves as a case that illustrates this concept. Psychoanalytic concepts discussed by Vamik Volkan are used as the framework for understanding the party’s group behavior. Since its loss in the election, the Democratic party has demonstrated remarkable coherence in its hostility towards Republicans. The hostility has ranged from uncivil behavior to violence manifested across a range of socioeconomic statuses and locations. The steep decline in the Democratic party’s civility towards its opponent is indicative of a large group regression. The loss of the 2016 Presidential election precipitated the party’s regression, which has left its members responding in primitive psychological ways. A range of criminality has emerged within this regressed state, such as assault, battery, and false police allegations. The regressed state of the party leaves it vulnerable to malignant narcissistic leadership or dysfunctional ideologies, which can normalize the regressive behavior. The large group regression examined in this paper may apply to other Western societies that experience dramatic sociopolitical change.

Relationships among authentic leadership, manager incivility and trust in the manager

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationships among authentic leadership of managers and new graduate nurses’ (NGNs) experience of manager incivility and their degree of trust in their managers. Design/methodology/approach A secondary analysis of data using a non-experimental, correlational design was undertaken. From 2012 to 2013, 3,743 surveys were mailed to NGNs eligible for the study, and 1,020 returned completed questionnaires for a response rate of 27.3 per cent. The hypotheses were tested using hierarchical multiple linear regression. Findings Authentic leadership had a negative relationship with manager incivility, which in turn was negatively related to trust in the manager, and overall the model accounted for 59.9 per cent of the variance in trust. Authentic leadership was positively associated with trust in the manager. Originality/value Findings supported that authentic leadership may be an effective approach to enhance manager–nurse interactions because authentic managers are less likely to display uncivil behavior, which diminishes trust. Findings may be useful to inform the development of positive and respectful work environments and the everyday practice of nurse managers.