Disparagement by a Subordinate, Ingratiation, and the Use of Power

Summary An industrial simulation experiment was conducted to determine how appointed student supervisors respond to ingratiation by a subordinate under circumstances of group stress: i.e., where a member of the work crew disparages the supervisor's competence and has a deteriorating impact on the morale of the remaining members of the group. Supervisors dispensed no more rewards to an ingratiator under conditions of group stress than in the absence of stress. Supervisors did exhibit a marginally significant tendency, however, to give greater pay increases to all compliant workers under group stress than in the control condition.