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The Moderating Effect of Supervisor’s Behavioral Integrity on the Relationship between Regulatory Focus and Impression Management

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Abstract

The desire to control how others see us is a ubiquitous phenomenon. Decades of research have suggested that the results associated with how others see us are too great an influence to ignore. The tactics we use and behaviors we engage in to control how others see us is known as impression management. This study examines the relationship between regulatory focus and the use of exemplification or supplication impression management tactics. We use regulatory focus theory to examine this phenomenon. First, we investigate the main effects that occur between prevention-focused individuals and exemplification, and between promotion-focused individuals and exemplification and supplication. We then introduce supervisor behavioral integrity as a moderator between regulatory focus and impression management. Our findings suggest a positive relationship between prevention-focused and exemplification, and between promotion-focused and exemplification and supplication. We also find that behavioral integrity strengthens the relationship between prevention-focused and exemplification and promotion-focused and supplication, but not promotion-focused and exemplification. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emmett and Miriam McCoy College of Business, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA

    K. Michele Kacmar

  2. Culverhouse College of Commerce, University of Alabama, Box 870225, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA

    Reginald Tucker

Authors
  1. K. Michele Kacmar
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  2. Reginald Tucker
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Correspondence to Reginald Tucker.

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Michele Kacmar, K., Tucker, R. The Moderating Effect of Supervisor’s Behavioral Integrity on the Relationship between Regulatory Focus and Impression Management. J Bus Ethics 135, 87–98 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2464-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2464-5

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