Based on the theory of displaced aggression (DA) and the trickle effects model, the current research aims to test the trickle impacts of perceived dehumanization by supervisors. Specifically, we claim that supervisors who experienced dehumanization displace aggression towards subordinates; in turn, subordinates will show their anger towards customers, co-workers and family members.
Time-lagged and multi-source data were collected from 290 employees working in the clothing and banking sectors of the Gujrat and Gujranwala cities of Punjab, Pakistan. The obtained data were analyzed using the PROCESS model 4.
The trickle-down impacts suggested that the supervisors DA towards the subordinates after being dehumanized. The trickle-out and around implications show that the subordinates direct this experienced anger to their coworkers (trickle-around), family and customers (trickle-out), perpetuating the spiral effects of organizational dehumanization (OD) faced by their supervisor.
This is one of the first investigations to examine the trickle-down, trickle-out and trickle-around impacts of supervisors' perceived OD.
