It is OK to Express Guilt: The Prosocial Interpersonal Effects of Leader Guilt Display.
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| Title: | It is OK to Express Guilt: The Prosocial Interpersonal Effects of Leader Guilt Display. |
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| Authors: | Hong, Beier1 (AUTHOR) beierhong@ruc.edu.cn, Mao, Jianghua2 (AUTHOR) maojh@zuel.edu.cn, Liu, Wenxing2 (AUTHOR) kekexili24@163.com |
| Source: | Journal of Business Ethics. Oct2025, Vol. 201 Issue 1, p93-110. 18p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Emotions, Guilt (Psychology), Prosocial behavior, Leaders, Organizational behavior, Forgiveness |
| Abstract: | The role of other-directed moral emotions (e.g. anger) in constructing leadership ethics is well-discussed, yet the effects of leaders expressing self-directed moral emotions remain under-explored. This paper focuses on guilt, a typical self-conscious moral emotion, to investigate the interpersonal prosocial impact of a leader's guilt expression. Drawing from the emotion as social information theory, we propose that a leader's guilt expression can enhance followers' forgiveness and organizational citizen behaviors by evoking followers' moved emotions and delivering the leader's benevolence information. Additionally, we examine the moderating role of the quality of leader–member exchange in these effects. Our results, obtained through a two-wave field survey (Study 1), a critical incident technique experiment (Study 2), and a scenario experiment (Study 3), provide support for most of our hypotheses. Our research contributes to the EASI theory and literature on emotions and provides practical guidance on leader emotional management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Business Ethics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 188685566 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: It is OK to Express Guilt: The Prosocial Interpersonal Effects of Leader Guilt Display. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hong%2C+Beier%22">Hong, Beier</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> beierhong@ruc.edu.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mao%2C+Jianghua%22">Mao, Jianghua</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> maojh@zuel.edu.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liu%2C+Wenxing%22">Liu, Wenxing</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> kekexili24@163.com</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Business+Ethics%22">Journal of Business Ethics</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 201 Issue 1, p93-110. 18p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotions%22">Emotions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Guilt+%28Psychology%29%22">Guilt (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prosocial+behavior%22">Prosocial behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leaders%22">Leaders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organizational+behavior%22">Organizational behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forgiveness%22">Forgiveness</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The role of other-directed moral emotions (e.g. anger) in constructing leadership ethics is well-discussed, yet the effects of leaders expressing self-directed moral emotions remain under-explored. This paper focuses on guilt, a typical self-conscious moral emotion, to investigate the interpersonal prosocial impact of a leader's guilt expression. Drawing from the emotion as social information theory, we propose that a leader's guilt expression can enhance followers' forgiveness and organizational citizen behaviors by evoking followers' moved emotions and delivering the leader's benevolence information. Additionally, we examine the moderating role of the quality of leader–member exchange in these effects. Our results, obtained through a two-wave field survey (Study 1), a critical incident technique experiment (Study 2), and a scenario experiment (Study 3), provide support for most of our hypotheses. Our research contributes to the EASI theory and literature on emotions and provides practical guidance on leader emotional management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Business Ethics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=188685566 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10551-025-05925-x Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 18 StartPage: 93 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Emotions Type: general – SubjectFull: Guilt (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Prosocial behavior Type: general – SubjectFull: Leaders Type: general – SubjectFull: Organizational behavior Type: general – SubjectFull: Forgiveness Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: It is OK to Express Guilt: The Prosocial Interpersonal Effects of Leader Guilt Display. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hong, Beier – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mao, Jianghua – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Liu, Wenxing IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 10 Text: Oct2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01674544 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 201 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Business Ethics Type: main |
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