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Satisfying Individual Desires or Moral Standards? Preferential Treatment and Group Members’ Self-Worth, Affect, and Behavior

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  • Stefan Thau
  • Christian Tröster
  • Karl Aquino
  • Madan Pillutla
  • David Cremer

Abstract

We investigate how social comparison processes in leader treatment quality impact group members’ self-worth, affect, and behavior. Evidences from the field and the laboratory suggest that employees who are treated kinder and more considerate than their fellow group members experience more self-worth and positive affect. Moreover, the greater positive self-implications of preferentially treated group members motivate them more strongly to comply with norms and to engage in tasks that benefit the group. These findings suggest that leaders face an ethical trade-off between satisfying the moral standard of treating everybody equally well and satisfying individual group members’ desire to be treated better than others. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Stefan Thau & Christian Tröster & Karl Aquino & Madan Pillutla & David Cremer, 2013. "Satisfying Individual Desires or Moral Standards? Preferential Treatment and Group Members’ Self-Worth, Affect, and Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 113(1), pages 133-145, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:113:y:2013:i:1:p:133-145
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1287-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tyler, Tom R. & Blader, Steven L., 2002. "Autonomous vs. comparative status: Must we be better than others to feel good about ourselves?," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 813-838, September.
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    2. Urooj Ahmed & Sharizal Hashim, 2022. "Sustainable Brand Management: The Role of Internal Brand Management and Intrinsic Motivation in Building Employee’s Brand Relationship Quality towards Organization’s Brand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.

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