The Dynamics of Workplace Harassment and Revenge: Mediation and Moderation Effects

by Wang, Qiang

This study examined the mediating role of rumination, state anger, and blame attribution, and the moderating role of trait forgiveness in the relationship between workplace harassment and revenge behavior. Results based on a sample of 310 employed students suggested that workplace harassment is positively associated with both major revenge and minor revenge. Also, the multiple mediation test showed that rumination, state anger, and blame attribution completely mediate the proposed relationships between workplace harassment and both types of revenge behavior. In addition, as proposed, trait forgiveness moderated the relationship between two internal states (i.e., state anger and blame attribution) and major revenge behavior, such that victims high in trait forgiveness sought major revenge less often when they were angry or attributed blame to the perpetrator. The theoretical, and practical implications of the findings were also discussed.