Short-term effects of experienced and observed incivility on mood and self-esteem

Abstract

Research on workplace incivility principally has focused on targets’ reactions to uncivil behaviours. Moreover, incivility’s consequences have been separately investigated for targets and observers. In the present diary study (N =164), we examined the short-term effects of experienced incivility on targets’ angry mood, depressive mood, and self-esteem. Also, we investigated the interplay between experienced and observed incivility in predicting targets’ well-being. Specifically, we expected daily observed incivility to buffer the detrimental effects of experienced incivility on depressive mood and self-esteem. Findings revealed that daily experienced incivility positively predicted targets’ angry and depressive mood. Moreover, observed incivility did moderate experienced incivility’s effects at the between-person level. In line with our assumption, the effects of experienced incivility on depressive mood and self-esteem were weaker for targets who observed frequent incivility. In general, our findings confirmed the detrimental effects of experienced incivility on well-being and support the buffering role of observed incivility.