Suspicion in the workplace: Organizational conspiracy theories and work-related outcomes

TY - JOUR

T1 - Suspicion in the workplace

T2 - Organizational conspiracy theories and work-related outcomes

AU - Douglas, Karen M.

AU - Leite, Ana C.

PY - 2016/8/4

Y1 - 2016/8/4

N2 - Belief in conspiracy theories about societal events is widespread and has important consequences for political, health and environmental behaviour. Little is known, however, about how conspiracy theorising affects people’s everyday working lives. In the present research, we predicted that belief in conspiracy theories about the workplace would be associated with increased turnover intentions. We further hypothesised that belief in these organizational conspiracy theories would predict decreased organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. Finally, we hypothesised that these factors would mediate the relationship between organizational conspiracy theories and turnover intentions. In three studies (one correlational and two experiments, Ns = 209, 119, 202), we found support for these hypotheses. The current studies therefore demonstrate the potentially adverse consequences of conspiracy theorising for the workplace. We argue that managers and employees should be careful not to dismiss conspiracy theorising as harmless rumour or gossip. © 2016, The British Psychological Society. This is an author produced version of a paper published in/accepted for publication in the British Journal of Psychology uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. The final published version (version of record) is available online via Wiley at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjop.12212/full. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.

AB - Belief in conspiracy theories about societal events is widespread and has important consequences for political, health and environmental behaviour. Little is known, however, about how conspiracy theorising affects people’s everyday working lives. In the present research, we predicted that belief in conspiracy theories about the workplace would be associated with increased turnover intentions. We further hypothesised that belief in these organizational conspiracy theories would predict decreased organizational commitment, and job satisfaction. Finally, we hypothesised that these factors would mediate the relationship between organizational conspiracy theories and turnover intentions. In three studies (one correlational and two experiments, Ns = 209, 119, 202), we found support for these hypotheses. The current studies therefore demonstrate the potentially adverse consequences of conspiracy theorising for the workplace. We argue that managers and employees should be careful not to dismiss conspiracy theorising as harmless rumour or gossip. © 2016, The British Psychological Society. This is an author produced version of a paper published in/accepted for publication in the British Journal of Psychology uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. The final published version (version of record) is available online via Wiley at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjop.12212/full. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.

U2 - 10.1111/bjop.12212

DO - 10.1111/bjop.12212

M3 - Article

SN - 0007-1269

JO - BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY

JF - BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY

ER -