Date post: | 02-Jul-2015 |
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Colleen C. MalachowskiRebecca M. Chory
Christopher J. Claus
West Virginia University
Workplace Romance (WR)
“a relationship between two members of the same organization that is perceived by a third party to be characterized by sexual attraction” (Quinn, 1977)
Past Research: Horan & Chory 3rd party perceptions of heterosexual & homosexual WR
co-workers dating superiors vs. peers… Less interpersonal solidarity Trusted less More information manipulation Less credibility
future research Fairness WR motives Other partner status types
Research Design IVs (2 X 4 experimental design)
Sex of co-worker male, female
Status of co-worker’s WR partner superior, peer, subordinate, outsider
DVs 3 rd party perceptions of a hypothetical co-worker in a WR
WR motives Unfair advantages
3 rd party responses to a hypothetical co-worker in a WR Trust Information Manipulation
Method Heterosexual WR Scenario: “Think of the organization you
currently work in. [X] is at the same job level you are—(s)he is not your superior nor your subordinate. Imagine that you recently learned that [X] is dating your [peer/superior/subordinate/ outsider] named [X].”
212 working adults Recruited through students Online
Results: WR MotivesH1: Co-worker dating superior vs. other status…
more driven by job motives – SUPPORTED less driven by love motives – SUPPORTED more driven by ego motives – SUPPORTED
for superior vs. outsider
Results: Unfair Advantages
H2: Co-worker dating superior vs. other status… more likely to receive unfair advantages– SUPPORTED; dating subordinate vs. outsider also more likely to receive unfair advantages
Results: Trust
H3: Trust a co-worker dating superior vs. other status less– SUPPORTED
Results: Information Manipulation
H4: Co-worker dating superior vs. other status… less honest/accurate self-disclosures w/co-worker –
SUPPORTED more deception w/co-worker – SUPPORTED for
superior vs. outsider
Results: Mediating VariablesRelationships between status of co-worker’s WR
partner & information manipulation mediated by H5: unfair advantages – SUPPORTED partner status unfair advantages info manipulation
H6: WR motives – SUPPORTED for job & love partner status job motive info manipulation partner status love motive info manipulation
H7: trust – SUPPORTED partner status trust info manipulation
Results: WR Co-Worker SexRQ1-4: Differences by sex of WR co-worker in…
WR motives? ns unfair advantages? ns trust? ns information manipulation? ns
Results: Sex X StatusRQ5: Co-worker sex and status of co-worker’s
WR partner interact to affect… WR motives? Lower love motives attributed to male
co-workers dating superiors than to co-workers dating other status types
unfair advantages? ns trust? ns information manipulation? ns
DiscussionNegative evaluative, relational, communicative
consequences for co-workers dating superiors
Equity Theory
Privacy rule violations, info leakage concerns
Implications Sexuality, gender in organizations
Work-life balance, public-private sphere split
May be best for employees to uphold the public-private split
Manage perceptions through transparency, healthy suspicion, broadening one’s network