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Do Interpersonal Conflict, Aggression and Bullying at the Workplace Overlap? A Latent Class Modeling Approach.
Guy Notelaers1, Beatrice Van der Heijden2,3,4, Hannes Guenter5
1Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Frontiers in Psychology
|October 26, 2018
Summary
Workplace conflict, aggression, and bullying are distinct phenomena, not a single issue. Latent class analysis shows they differ, especially for those frequently exposed, impacting well-being and strain differently.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Occupational Health
- Human Resource Management
Background:
- Workplace conflict, aggression, and bullying are often discussed together, but their distinctiveness remains unclear.
- Understanding these phenomena is crucial for employee well-being and effective workplace interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distinctiveness of workplace conflict, aggression, and bullying using empirical data.
- To examine how perceived distinctiveness varies with exposure levels.
- To explore differential relationships with well-being and strain outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Latent Class (LC) analysis was employed.
- Cross-industry data from 6,175 Belgian workers were utilized.
- A two-factor solution (conflict-aggression vs. bullying) demonstrated the best data fit.
Main Results:
- A two-factor model best distinguished between conflict-aggression and bullying.
- Perceived overlap decreased with increased exposure, with bullying becoming more distinct.
- Conflict-aggression and bullying showed distinct associations with well-being and strain.
Conclusions:
- A single unifying approach or label for conflict, aggression, and bullying is inappropriate.
- Findings have implications for theoretical understanding and practical interventions in the workplace.
- Distinct measurement and management strategies are needed for conflict, aggression, and bullying.
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