Yochi Cohen-Charash

Does Perceived Unfairness Exacerbate or Mitigate Interpersonal Counterproductive Work Behaviors Related to Envy

The authors examined how the interaction between perceived unfairness and episodic envy predicts interpersonal counterproductive work behaviors toward the envied other. In 2 studies using different samples and methods to elicit envy, predictions were compared based on the social exchange and attribution models of fairness. The results support the social exchange model of fairness, showing that higher levels of envy and perceived unfairness result in higher levels of interpersonal counterproductive work behavior (Study 1), especially among high self-esteem individuals (Study 2).

Sabbatical Leave: Who Gains and How Much?

A rigorous quasi-experiment tested the ameliorative effects of a sabbatical leave, a special case of respite from routine work. We hypothesized that (a) respite increases resource level and well-being and (b) individual differences and respite features moderate respite effects. A sample of 129 faculty members on sabbatical and 129 matched controls completed measures of resource gain, resource loss, and well-being before, during, and after the sabbatical. Among the sabbatees, resource loss declined and resource gain and well-being rose during the sabbatical. The comparison group showed no change. Moderation analysis revealed that those who reported higher respite self-efficacy and greater control, were more detached, had a more positive sabbatical experience, and spent their sabbatical outside their home country enjoyed more enhanced well-being than others.

An Emotion Divided: Studying Envy Is Better Than Studying “Benign” and “Malicious” Envy

The recent surge in envy research has brought with it a line of inquiry differentiating between “benign” and “malicious” envy. “Benign” envy involves the motivation to improve the self, leading to socially desirable reactions. “Malicious” envy involves the motivation to harm the envied other, leading to socially undesirable reactions. We suggest that studying “benign” and “malicious” envy involves confounding envy with its outcomes, which causes confusion and impairs the understanding of envy. We discuss the roots of this differentiation, the theoretical and methodological challenges it involves, and its negative ramifications for envy research. We provide theory and findings showing that envy, conceptualized and measured as a unitary construct, can lead to a wide range of reactions, both socially desirable and undesirable, depending on personal and situational moderators. Therefore, we believe the distinction between “benign” and “malicious” envy is unwarranted and advocate for the use of envy as a unitary construct.

Managing Illegitimate Task Requests Through Explanation and Acknowledgment: A Discursive Leadership Approach:

This study explored how discursive framing can mitigate an illegitimate task request—a request from a supervisor that extends beyond the appropriate parameters of the role. Using hypothetical vignettes in an experimental design, we examined how including an acknowledgment and/or explanation when making an illegitimate task request mitigated perceptions of illegitimacy and anger. Results indicate that acknowledgments mitigated perceptions of illegitimacy whereas explanations mitigated anger. Furthermore, the combination of acknowledgments and explanations had the strongest effects on reducing perceived illegitimacy and anger. We conclude with practical recommendations.