The purpose of this study is to challenge the prevailing assumption that submissiveness arises solely from undermining leadership. Specifically, it examines how employee submissive behaviour results from supportive leadership as well. Drawing on the relational model of authority, we hypothesize that perceived supervisor support (PSS) positively influences submissive behaviour, with organizational pride mediating this relationship. Additionally, we propose that proactive personality weakens the direct relationship between PSS and submissiveness. Using a multisource sample of 558 employees and their supervisors, the findings generally support our predictions. The results suggest that PSS may encourage submissiveness, particularly for employees low in proactive personality.
AlikajANingWWuB (2021) Proactive personality and creative behavior: examining the role of thriving at work and high-involvement HR practices. Journal of Business and Psychology36(5): 857–869.
2.
AlikajANingWNguyenC, et al. (2023) Are proactive employees always creative? The roles of political skill and leader-member exchange. Journal of General Management0(0): 1–12.
3.
AlShamsiSSBin AhmadKZJasimuddinSM (2025) Curiosity, proactive personality, organizational culture and work engagement in the aviation industry in the UAE during Covid-19: a non-probabilistic moderated-mediation model. Journal of General Management50(2): 150–163.
4.
AntonakisJBendahanSJacquartP, et al. (2010) On making causal claims: a review and recommendations. The Leadership Quarterly6: 1086–1120.
5.
AquinoKLamertzK (2004) A relational model of workplace victimization: social roles and patterns of victimization in dyadic relationships. Journal of Applied Psychology89(6): 1023–1034.
6.
BatemanTSCrantJM (1993) The proactive component of organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior14: 103–118.
7.
BeckerTEAtincGBreaughJA, et al. (2016) Statistical control in correlational studies: 10 essential research recommendations for organizational researchers. Journal of Organizational Behavior37: 157–167.
8.
BeuDSBuckleyMR (2004) This is war: how the politically astute achieve crimes of obedience through the use of moral disengagement. The Leadership Quarterly15(4): 551–568.
9.
BlauPM (1964) Exchange and Power in Social Life. New York: Wiley.
10.
BoezemanEJEllemersN (2008) Pride and respect in volunteers' organizational commitment. European Journal of Social Psychology38(1): 159–172.
11.
BolinoMCKlotzACTurnleyWH, et al. (2013) Exploring the dark side of organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior34(4): 542–559.
12.
BondR (2005) Group size and conformity. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations8(4): 331–354.
13.
BuhrHFunkRJOwen-SmithJ (2021) The authenticity premium: balancing conformity and innovation in high technology industries. Research Policy50(1): 104085.
14.
CaesensGMorinAJGilletN, et al. (2023) Perceived support profiles in the workplace: a longitudinal perspective. Group & Organization Management48(3): 833–873.
15.
CarstenMKUhl-BienMWestBJ, et al. (2010) Exploring social constructions of followership: a qualitative study. The Leadership Quarterly21(3): 543–562.
16.
ChangYYWannamakokWLinYH (2023) Work conformity as a double-edged sword: disentangling intra-firm social dynamics and employees' innovative performance in technology-intensive firms. Asia Pacific Management Review28(4): 439–448.
17.
ChenYFriedmanRYuE, et al. (2009) Supervisor–subordinate guanxi: developing a three-dimensional model and scale. Management and Organization Review5: 375–399.
18.
CohenJCohenPWestSG, et al. (2003) Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. (3rd ed.), Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
19.
ConnellyBLCertoSTIrelandRD, et al. (2011) Signalling theory: a review and assessment. Journal of Management37: 39–67.
20.
CrantJM (2000) Proactive behavior in organizations. Journal of Management26: 435–462.
21.
CrantJMHuJJiangK (2016) Proactive personality: a twenty-year review. In: ParkerSKBindlUK (eds) Proactivity at Work. New York: Routledge, 211–243.
22.
CropanzanoRMitchellMS (2005) Social exchange theory: an interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management31(6): 874–900.
23.
DavidsonTDynLVLinB (2017) Too attached to speak up? It depends: how supervisor–subordinate guanxi and perceived job control influence upward constructive voice. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes143: 39–53.
24.
De ClercqDPereiraR (2023) You're so good-looking and wise, my powerful leaders! When deference becomes flattery in employee–authority relations. Personnel Review52(5): 1525–1547.
25.
De ClercqDFatimaTKhanB (2022) Family incivility, work alienation beliefs and submissive behaviors among Pakistani employees: the mitigating role of ego resilience. Personnel Review53(1): 228–246.
26.
DeciELRyanRM (2012) Self-determination theory. In: Van LangePAMKruglanskiAWHigginsET (eds). Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology. London: Sage, Vol. 1, 416–436.
27.
DezoortTRoskos-EwoldsenDR (1997) The submissiveness to organizational authority scale as a measure of authoritarianism. Journal of Social Behavior & Personality12(3): 651–670.
28.
EisenbergerRArmeliSRexwinkelB, et al. (2001) Reciprocation of perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology86(1): 42–51.
29.
EisenbergerRStinglhamberFVandenbergheC, et al. (2002) Perceived supervisor support: contributions to perceived organizational support and employee retention. Journal of Applied Psychology87(3): 565–573.
30.
FatimaTMajeedMJahanzebS (2021) Supervisor undermining and submissive behavior: shame resilience theory perspective. European Management Journal38(1): 191–203.
31.
FullerJBMarlerLE (2009) Change driven by nature: a meta-analytic review of the proactive personality literature. Journal of Vocational Behavior75(3): 329–345.
32.
FullerJBBarnettTHesterK, et al. (2007) An exploratory examination of voice behavior from an impression management perspective. Journal of Managerial Issues19: 134–151.
33.
GilbertP (2016) Depression: The Evolution of Powerlessness. New York: Routledge.
34.
GrahamKAZiegertJCCapitanoJ (2015) The effect of leadership style, framing, and promotion regulatory focus on unethical pro-organizational behavior. Journal of Business Ethics126: 423–436.
35.
GrantAMAshfordSJ (2008) The dynamics of proactivity at work. Research in Organizational Behavior28: 3–34.
36.
GuptaSMishraJ (2016) Mindlessness, submissive behavior and thought suppression: a perceptual buffering of self-compassion to psychological vulnerabilities Among Indians. Journal of Depression & Anxiety5(4): 4–9.
37.
HairJFBlackWCBabinBJ, et al. (2019) Multivariate Data Analysis. United Kingdom: Cengage Learning EMEA.
38.
HayesAF (2012) PROCESS: a versatile computational tool for observed variable mediation, moderation, and conditional process modeling. Available at: https://www.afhayes.com/public/process2012.pdf
39.
HobfollSEHalbeslebenJNeveuJ-P, et al. (2018) Conservation of resources in the organizational context: The reality of resources and their consequences. Annual review of organizational psychology and organizational behavior5(1): 103–128.
40.
HofstedeG (1991) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. London: McGraw-Hill.
41.
JiangZ (2017) Proactive personality and career adaptability: The role of thriving at work. Journal of Vocational Behavior98: 85–97.
42.
JonesDA (2010) Does serving the community also serve the company? Using organizational identification and social exchange theories to understand employee responses to a volunteerism programme. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology83(4): 857–878.
43.
Kanat-MaymonYYaakobiERothG (2018) Motivating deference: employees' perception of authority legitimacy as a mediator of supervisor motivating styles and employee work-related outcomes. European Management Journal36(6): 769–783.
44.
Kanat‐MaymonYYaakobiEMaaraviY (2021) Organizational support, legitimacy, and workplace outcomes: a mediation model. Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology5(3): 229–237.
45.
KurtessisJNEisenbergerRFordMT, et al. (2017) Perceived organizational support: a meta-analytic evaluation of organizational support theory. Journal of Management43(7): 1854–1884.
46.
LiNLiangJCrantJM (2010) The role of proactive personality in job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior: a relational perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology95(2): 395–404.
47.
LiNZhaoHHWalterSL, et al. (2015) Achieving more with less: extra milers' behavioral influences in teams. Journal of Applied Psychology100(4): 1025–1039.
48.
LePineJAVan DyneL (1998) Predicting voice behavior in work groups. Journal of Applied Psychology83(6): 853–868.
49.
LiSJainKTziniK (2022) When supervisor support backfires: the link between perceived supervisor support and unethical pro-supervisor behavior. Journal of Business Ethics179(1): 133–151.
50.
MacKinnonDPLockwoodCMWilliamsJ (2004) Confidence limits for the indirect effect: distribution of the product and resampling methods. Multivariate Behavioral Research39(1): 99–128.
51.
MadjarNGreenbergEChenZ (2011) Factors for radical creativity, incremental creativity, and routine, noncreative performance. Journal of Applied Psychology96: 730–743.
52.
Mas-MachucaMBerbegal-MirabentJAlegreI (2016) Work-life balance and its relationship with organizational pride and job satisfaction. Journal of Managerial Psychology31(2): 586–602.
53.
McCormickBWReevesCJDownesPE, et al. (2019) Proactive personality and proactive behaviour: perspectives on person–situation interactions. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology92(1): 30–51.
54.
MeyerM (2021) Putting the onus on authority: a review of obedient behavior and why we should move on. New Ideas in Psychology60: 100831.
55.
MiceliMPNearJPRehgMT, et al. (2012) Predicting employee reactions to perceived organizational wrongdoing: demoralization, justice, proactive personality, and whistleblowing. Human Relations65(8): 923–954.
56.
MilgramS (1965) Some conditions of obedience and disobedience to authority. Human Relations18(1): 57–76.
57.
MishraMGhoshKSharmaD (2022) Unethical pro-organizational behavior: a systematic review and future research agenda. Journal of Business Ethics179(1): 63–87.
58.
MoskowitzDSZuroffDC (2004) Flux, pulse, and spin: dynamic additions to the personality lexicon. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology86: 880–893.
59.
NevesP (2011) Building commitment to change: the role of perceived supervisor support and competence. European Journal of Work & Organizational Psychology20(4): 437–450.
60.
NevesP (2014) Taking it out on survivors: submissive employees, downsizing, and abusive supervision. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology87(3): 507–534.
61.
NgTWHSorensenKL (2008) Toward a further understanding of the relationships between perceptions of support and work attitudes: a meta-analysis. Group & Organization Management33(3): 243–268.
62.
ParkerSKBindlUKStraussK (2010) Making things happen: a model of proactive motivation. Journal of Management36(4): 827–856.
63.
ParkerSKWangYLiaoJ (2019) When is proactivity wise? A review of factors that influence the individual outcomes of proactive behavior. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior6(1): 221–248.
64.
PetersenLEDietzJ (2008) Employment discrimination: authority figures' demographic preferences and followers' affective organizational commitment. Journal of Applied Psychology93(6): 1287–1300.
65.
PodsakoffPMMacKenzieSBPodsakoffNP (2012) Sources of method bias in social science research and recommendations on how to control it. Annual Review of Psychology63: 539–569.
66.
RhoadesLEisenbergerRArmeliS (2001) Affective commitment to the organization: the contribution of perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology86(5): 825–836.
67.
RiosKFastNJGruenfeldD (2015) Feeling high but playing low: power, need to belong, and submissive behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin41(8): 1135–1146.
68.
SeibertSEKraimerMLCrantJM (2001) What do proactive people do? A longitudinal model linking proactive personality and career success. Personnel Psychology54(4): 845–874.
69.
ShanockLREisenbergerR (2006) When supervisors feel supported: relationships with subordinates’ perceived supervisor support, perceived organizational support, and performance. Journal of Applied psychology91(3): 689–695.
70.
SimonHA (1997) Administrative Behavior. (4th ed.), New York: Free Press.
71.
StraussKParkerSK (2018) Intervening to enhance proactivity in organizations: improving the present or changing the future. Journal of Management44(3): 1250–1278.
72.
StraussKGriffinMParkerSK (2012) Future work selves: how salient hoped-for identities motivate proactive career behaviors. Journal of Applied Psychology97(3): 580–598.
73.
SturmREJollyPMWilliamsSD (2022) It's a matter of organizational pride: how perceptions of organizational virtuousness and competence affect employee behaviors. Journal of Business and Psychology37(5): 1079–1097.
74.
SznycerDXygalatasDAlamiS, et al. (2018) Invariances in the architecture of pride across small-scale societies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America115(33): 8322–8327.
75.
TajfelHTurnerJC (1986) The social identity theory of intergroup behaviour. In: WorchelSAustinWG (eds) Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Chicago, IL: Nelson-Hall.
76.
TangJWuSSunJ (2013) Confluence: conformity influence in large social networks. In: Proceedings of the 19th ACM SIGKDD International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining. New York: ACM, 347–355.
77.
ThomasJPWhitmanDSViswesvaranC (2010) Employee proactivity in organizations: a comparative meta-analysis of emergent proactive constructs. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology83(2): 275–300.
78.
TylerTR (1992) A relational model of authority in groups. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology25: 115–191.
79.
TylerTR (1997) The psychology of legitimacy: a relational perspective on voluntary deference to authorities. Personality and Social Psychology Review: An Official Journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc1(4): 323–345.
80.
TylerTRBladerSL (2000) Cooperation in Groups: Procedural Justice, Social Identity, and Behavioral Engagement. Philadelphia: Psychology Press.
81.
TylerTRBladerSL (2002) Autonomous vs. comparative status: must we be better than others to feel good about ourselves?Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes89(1): 813–838.
82.
VandenbergheCPanaccioABenteinK, et al. (2019) Time‐based differences in the effects of positive and negative affectivity on perceived supervisor support and organizational commitment among newcomers. Journal of Organizational Behavior40(3): 264–281.
83.
VelezMJNevesP (2018) Shaping emotional reactions to ethical behaviors: proactive personality as a substitute for ethical leadership. The Leadership Quarterly29(6): 663–673.
84.
WangZZhangJThomasCL, et al. (2017) Explaining benefits of employee proactive personality: the role of engagement, team proactivity composition and perceived organizational support. Journal of Vocational Behavior101: 90–103.
85.
WhitingSWPodsakoffPMPierceJR (2008) Effects of task performance, helping, voice, and organizational loyalty on performance appraisal ratings. Journal of Applied Psychology93(1): 125–139.
86.
WilliamsLJCoteJABuckleyMR (1989) Lack of method variance in self-reported affect and perceptions at work: reality or artifact?Journal of Applied Psychology74(3): 462–468.
87.
XuYFarrisK (2024) The influence of leadership styles and supervisor communication on employee burnout. Journal of General Management49(3): 169–179.
88.
XuMQinXDustSB, et al. (2019) Supervisor-subordinate proactive personality congruence and psychological safety: a signaling theory approach to employee voice behavior. The Leadership Quarterly30(4): 440–453.
