Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

submittedVersion

Publication Date

1-2019

Abstract

The vast majority of research on power, social, and minority influence treats those who are recipients of powerholders’ decisions (i.e., subordinates) as an undifferentiated group, overlooking how recipients may respond in unique ways to the decisions that affect them. In this paper we examine the role of minority subordinates in shaping how powerholders allocate resources. We also explore how psychological distance between the minority subordinate and powerholder moderates this relationship, as well as the individual consequences minority subordinates face for articulating their unique opinions. In three experimental studies, we show that even as a lone voice, the feedback of a minority subordinate influences powerholders decisions. We further show that the influence of minority subordinates is stronger when the subordinate is psychologically close to the powerholder. Finally, we find that powerholders reward all subordinates who provide them with positive feedback, but only punish subordinates who provide negative feedback when those subordinates are psychologically distant. Overall, our results suggest that subordinates who risk putting their head above the parapet can improve outcomes for their group members, and can avoid being punished for doing so, as long as the powerholder perceives that they share a salient group membership.

Keywords

Allocation behavior, Minority influence, Powerholders, Upward feedback

Discipline

Human Resources Management | Organizational Behavior and Theory | Organization Development

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Journal of Applied Psychology

Volume

104

Issue

7

First Page

929

Last Page

945

ISSN

0021-9010

Identifier

10.1037/apl0000376

Publisher

American Psychological Association

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000376

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