Open AccessCan rewards induce corresponding forms of theft? Introducing the reward‐theft parity effect
Author(s) -
Johnson Jeff S.,
Friend Scott B.,
Esteky Sina
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
business ethics, the environment & responsibility
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2694-6424
pISSN - 2694-6416
DOI - 10.1111/beer.12433
Subject(s) - reinforcement , parity (physics) , perception , psychology , unintended consequences , social psychology , political science , neuroscience , physics , particle physics , law
Rewards are reinforcement mechanisms that organizations use to shape desirable employee behaviors. However, rewards may also have unintended consequences, such as building expectations for receiving extra benefits and weakening employee barriers to unethical acts. This article investigates the dark side of the reward–behavior association, and exploring what is referred to as the reward–theft parity effect (RTPE). The authors hypothesize that receiving rewards induces a corresponding type of theft. In Study 1, survey results ( n = 634) show initial support for the RTPE between rewards and same‐category theft, and that perceptions of procedural justice attenuate this association. Study 2 involved a 2 (reward) × 2 (theft opportunity) between‐subjects experimental design ( n = 300) and provides further support for the RTPE by revealing greater theft under a reward–theft parity condition than under a reward–theft disparity condition. Study 3 replicates these findings in a field experiment ( n = 285) and finds that the RTPE is exacerbated when the reward–behavior task is perceived as unjust. Collectively, these findings provide new theoretical insights while also giving managers a more complete understanding of the dark side of behavioral reinforcement mechanisms.