Masters Theses
Date of Award
12-2014
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Major
Experimental Psychology
Major Professor
Lowell A. Gaertner
Committee Members
Michael A. Olson, Garriy Shteynberg
Abstract
Persons experience attachment to groups because they (a) share those aspects (characteristics, goals, values) that define the group and/or (b) have close relationships with the group members. Two studies examined whether such collective and interpersonal connections affect whistle-blowing (reporting ingroup wrongdoing). We hypothesized that collective connection would promote whistle-blowing via concern for the group’s welfare and interpersonal connection would inhibit whistle-blowing via fear of lost relationships. In Study 1 (N =127) participants listed up to eight ingroups and, for each, rated their collective connection, interpersonal connection, and likelihood of whistle-blowing. In Study 2, participants (N =153) were prompted to think about an ingroup defined by a factorial crossing of collective connection (weak, strong) and interpersonal connection (weak, strong) and rated their likelihood of whistle-blowing. In both studies, whistle-blowing was negatively related to the interpersonal connection and unrelated to the collective connection. Strong interpersonal connections to group members undermine whistle-blowing and facilitate continued ingroup wrongdoing.
Recommended Citation
Heger, Amy Kathleen, "My Lips are Sealed: Whistle-blowing as a Function of Collective and Interpersonal Connections to Social Groups. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2014.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/3154