Refining the guilt proneness construct and theorizing about its role in conformity and deviance in organizations

Abstract

Research on guilt proneness in the workplace has flourished over the past decade. Here we attempt to refine the construct, outlining its positive psychological mechanisms and clarifying how it relates to desired employee outcomes. We present a theoretical framework that explains how guilt-prone employees react and attempt to resolve, conflicting normative expectations, generating specific predictions about the relationship between guilt proneness and various forms of conformity and deviance. Specifically, we posit that guilt proneness relates positively to constructive conformity (e.g., high motivation and job performance) and negatively to destructive deviance (e.g., counterproductive work behavior) when employees perceive alignment between moral and organizational norms. If misalignment exists, and employees believe they can reconcile this misalignment, guilt proneness spurs constructive deviance in the form of dissent, voicing, and whistleblowing. When realignment appears unlikely, higher guilt-prone employees will choose to leave the organization rather than support its objectionable acts (i.e., avoiding destructive conformity). Overall, we offer a new perspective on the function of guilt proneness at work—conceptualizing guilt proneness as a source of motivation to adhere to organizational norms and to change these norms to align with moral ideals.