ISSN 0439-755X
CN 11-1911/B

Acta Psychologica Sinica ›› 2022, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (5): 549-565.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2022.00549

• Reports of Empirical Studies • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The effects of leader power and status on employees’ voice behavior:The role of psychological safety

RONG Yan1, SUI Yang2(), JIANG Jing3   

  1. 1College of Business, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai 200433, China
    2School of Economics and Management, University of Science and Technology of Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
    3School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
  • Received:2021-04-08 Published:2022-05-25 Online:2022-03-23
  • Contact: SUI Yang E-mail:suiy@ustb.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(71972009);National Natural Science Foundation of China(71802008)

Abstract:

Through two experiments (Studies 1 and 2), and one multi-source, multi-wave field survey (Study 3), we found that leader power has a negative effect on subordinates’ voice behaviors; leader status has a positive effect on subordinates’ voice behaviors; leader status moderates the influence of leader power on subordinates' voice behaviors. When leader status is low, the negative effect of leader power on subordinates' voice behaviors is strengthened; otherwise, it is not significant. The moderating effect of leader status on power is transferred to subordinates' voice behavior through subordinates' psychological safety. Our findings shed light on how organizational hierarchy bases, such as power and status, influence subordinates' voice behavior.

Key words: power, status, voice behavior, psychological safety