Following Orders, Forsaking Ethics: Abusive Supervision, Moral Disengagement, Blind Obedience, and Malicious Compliance

Abstract

Abusive supervision has been linked to a range of employee behaviors, yet less is known about how it relates to distinct forms of compliance behaviors. Moral disengagement has acted as a mechanism by which individuals justify morally unsound behaviors to reduce dissonance. This study examined whether abusive supervision predicts blind obedience and/or malicious compliance, and whether moral disengagement moderated those relationships. A series of self-report inventories were analyzed from 279 working adults detailing their perceptions of abusive supervision, participation in blind obedience and malicious compliance, and propensity to morally disengage. Results indicated that abusive supervision was not associated with blind obedience or malicious compliance, and that moral disengagement did not significantly improve model fit as a moderator. However, other significant associations among study variables shed light into the cognitive processes that justify these behaviors. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of cognitive mechanisms that guide and shape workplace behaviors. All theoretical and practical implications are discussed in further detail.