Beyond risk-taking: effects of psychological safety on cooperative goal interdependence and prosocial behavior

Leung, Kwok; Deng, Hong; Wang, Jie; Zhou, Fan

Abstract

In addition to risk-taking behavior, we propose that psychological safety also promotes prosocial behavior through cooperative goal interdependence. To differentiate these two types of effects, we contrasted the moderating effects of two interpersonal harmony motives. A survey in China supported the indirect effect of psychological safety on helping behavior through cooperative goal interdependence. This mediated relationship was moderated by harmony enhancement such that the mediated effect of psychological safety was weaker when harmony enhancement was high. Psychological safety was positively related to innovative behavior, and this relationship was moderated by disintegration avoidance such that it was weaker when disintegration avoidance was high. These results shed light on the different effects of psychological safety and their underlying mechanisms.

Citation

Leung, K., Deng, H., Wang, J., & Zhou, F. (2015). Beyond risk-taking: effects of psychological safety on cooperative goal interdependence and prosocial behavior. Group and Organization Management, 40(1), https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601114564012

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 1, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Dec 18, 2014
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: May 31, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: May 31, 2018
• Journal: Group & Organization Management
• Electronic ISSN: 1059-6011
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 40
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601114564012
• Keywords: psychological safety, cooperative goal interdependence, harmony enhancement; disintegration avoidance; helping behavior; innovative behavior
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/741896
• Publisher URL: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1059601114564012
• Additional Information: This article is part of the following special collection(s): Helping Behavior and Psychological Safety