Does a sense of entitlement undermine organizational reciprocity? Examining its effects on unethical pro-family behavior through psychological contract breach

Purpose Drawing on the integrative social exchange theory (SET) framework, this study investigates how psychological entitlement is related to unethical pro-family behavior (UPFB). We theorize perceived psychological contract breach (PCB) as a mediating mechanism, while considering leader leniency and employee perceived organizational support (EPOS) as moderators. Design/methodology/approach Using a cross-sectional design, we collected 331 self-administered responses across the various companies in China. We tested our model through structural equation modeling using M plus . Findings Results indicated that psychological entitlement was positively associated with PCB and UPFB. PCB explained the positive mediating association between psychological entitlement and UPFB. Moreover, the moderation results for leader leniency and EPOS revealed a contingent relationship. Specifically, leader leniency moderated the association between psychological entitlement and PCB. It also moderated the indirect association with UPFB through PCB. In contrast, the corresponding pathway involving EPOS was statistically insignificant across the model. Originality/value Our study extends the application of SET and offers practical implications for managing psychological entitlement. It also provides guidance for promoting ethical conduct and reducing UPFB in the workplace.