How power and trust explain procedural fairness effects on self-esteem

When authorities enact procedures in a fair manner, they positively influence their followers’ self-esteem. Building on fairness heuristic theory and sociometer theory, we predicted that this effect is mediated by trust in the authority because procedural fairness heightens trust as an indicator of a valued relationship with an authority who will protect followers’ interests. Trust should, subsequently, heighten followers’ self-esteem as an indicator of their value to the organisation. Further, we expected this mediated effect to emerge particularly among high power authorities because high power makes the authority more effective in influencing follower status. These predictions were tested in a scenario experiment in which authority power and procedural fairness were orthogonally manipulated. Trust indeed mediated procedural fairness effects on self-esteem and power moderated the trust-self-esteem path. These results strongly suggest that self-esteem reflects a positive relationship with an authority capable of influencing follower status. ( Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65 , 118-126).