Balance Theory Revisited: Relationship Issue Relevance Affects Imbalance-Induced Tension in Workplace Relationships

Leadership in a different light: understanding co-worker exchange in a triad

This work analyses the relationship between Leader and Member Exchange (LMX) and Co-worker Exchanges in a triad. Using a large sample of 1579 observations, our work provides theoretical and empirical support to the idea that the quality of the relationship between two co-workers, rather than being an objective characteristic of the dyad, is in fact an individual variable affected by the perception that each co-worker has of the relationship each member of the same dyad holds with their common leader. Our results, based on 1580 observations, offer some new insights and extend the well-known Balance Theory demonstrating that it is not only the similarity and dissimilarity in their LMX, what determines co-workers’ relationships but also the individual perception of own’s LMX. Furthermore, we also point at the relevance of the contingent effect played by the average LMX at the team level and the level of differentiation that the leader holds at the team level.

Do Relationship- and Self-Oriented Deceptions Impact the Effect of Attitude Alignment on Attraction?

While individuals value honesty in relationships, disagreements can create discomfort and individuals tend to prefer partners who engage in attitude alignment (i.e., shift their attitude toward agreement when disagreement occurs). In order to maintain smooth interactions, partners may even deceive individuals by concealing their continued disagreement. In a 2 (Attitude Alignment Deception) x 2 (Partner Motivation) between-subjects design, we examined whether individuals would evaluate interaction partners who engaged in deceptive attitude alignment less favorably compared to interaction partners who engaged in honest attitude alignment, and we examined whether partner motivation (relationship- vs. self-oriented) impacted this effect. After a brief in-person discussion about a disagreed upon social issue, participants received written feedback, allegedly from their interaction partners, that their partners engaged in attitude alignment that was either honest (i.e., partner came to agree with the individual) or deceptive (i.e., partner pretended to reach agreement with the individual). Participants also received feedback that their partners actions were motivated by either a relationship-orientation (i.e., to be liked by the individual) or self-orientation (i.e., to be viewed as correct on the issue). Individuals evaluated (e.g., were less attracted to) partners who engaged in deceptive (vs. honest) attitude alignment less favorably, but deceptive partners were evaluated more favorably if their deception was relationship- vs. self-oriented.