Threat Upon Entry: Effect of Coworker Ostracism on Newcomers’ Proactive Behaviors During Organizational Socialization

Department(s)

Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-6-2021

Keywords

coworker ostracism, emotional intelligence, newcomers’ proactivity, organizational socialization, psychological availability

Abstract

Extant literature has underlined the importance of newcomer proactive socialization to the organization. However, the effect of coworker ostracism on newcomers’ proactive behaviors has not been noticed. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, we proposed a model exploring how coworker ostracism impacted newcomers’ proactive behaviors via the mediation of psychological availability. Through an empirical study with a sample of 263 newcomers and three waves of longitudinal data, we found that coworker ostracism had a negative effect on newcomers’ information seeking and guanxi developing. In addition, emotional intelligence enhanced the negative effect of coworker ostracism on newcomers’ psychological availability and the indirect influence of coworker ostracism on newcomers’ proactive behaviors via psychological availability. Important theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Publication Title

Frontiers in Psychology

E-ISSN

16641078

Volume

12

DOI

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.545478

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