Examining when Targets of Downward Hostility See Their Leader as an “Abuser”

We invoke leader categorization theory and labeling theory to examine the circumstances under which individuals come to perceive their managerial leaders as “abusers,” as well as the consequences that the abuser label engenders. Results from field survey and laboratory studies suggest that the label, “abuser,” is more likely to be triggered when targets of downward hostility perceive their managerial leaders to be lower performers. We also found that when performance was lower, the abuser label mediated the relationship between downward hostility and upward hostility. We discuss the studies’ implications for theory, future research, and practice pertaining to downward hostility.