Abstract
Considerable research has documented that global perceptions of proceduralv fairness are associated with reductions in relative deprivation (RD). Less research has examined the specific process elements that lead individuals to perceive procedural fairness. In view of this, several researchers have suggested that providing advance notice concerning a negative decision increases perceived justice and thereby lowers levels of RD. Unfortunately, the evidence for this causal relationship is currently limited and is based upon a small number of correlation and role-playing studies. Thus, the present paper reports on two experimental studies that investigate the causal relationship between advance notice and RD. Findings in Study 1 showed that advance notice impacted the cognitive aspects of RD but not the affective or behavioral aspects. However, some methodological limitations were identified. These were corrected and a second experiment was conducted. This time advance notice lowered both the cognitive and affective aspects of RD but still did not impact the behavioral measure. Results are discussed in terms of Tyler's (1987) group value model.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bandura, A. (1965). Vicarious processes: A case of no-trial learning. In Berkowitz, L. (ed.),Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 2, Academic Press, New York.
Baron, R. A. (1993). Criticism (informal negative feedback) as a source of perceived unfairness in organizations: Effects, mechanisms, and countermeasures. In Cropanzano, R. (ed.),Justice in the Workplace: Approaching Fairness in Human Resource Management, Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, pp. 155–170.
Bennett, G. K., Seashore, H. G., and Wesman, A. G. (1966).Differential Aptitude Tests, 4th ed., Psychological Corp., New York.
Bies, R. J. (1987). The predicament of injustice: The management of moral outrage. In Cummings, L. L., and Staw, B. M. (eds.),Research Organizational Behavior, Vol. 9, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 289–319.
Bies, R. J., and Moag, J. S. (1986). Interaction justice: Communication criteria for fairness. In Lewicki, R. J., Sheppard, B. H., and Bazerman, M. (eds.),Research on Negotiation in Organizations, Vol. 1, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 43–55.
Cropanzano, R., and Baron, R. A. (1991). Injustice and organizational conflict: the moderating role of power restoration.Int. J. Conflict Manage. 2: 5–26.
Cropanzano, R., and Folger, R. (1989). Referent cognitions and task decision autonomy: beyond equity theory.J. Appl. Psychol. 74: 293–299.
Cropanzano, R., and Folger, R. (1991). Procedural justice and worker motivation. In Steers, R. M., and Porter, L. W. (eds.),Motivation and Work Behavior, 5th ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 131–143.
Cropanzano, R., and Konovsky, M. A. (1992). Drug testing practices as determinants of employee fairness perceptions. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management, Las Vegas, NV.
Cropanzano, R., and Randall, M. L. (1993). Injustice and work behavior: A historical review. In Cropanzano, R. (ed.),Justice in the Workplace: Approaching Fairness in Human Resource Management, Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, pp. 3–20.
Crosby, F. (1976). A model of egoistic relative deprivation.Psychol. Rev. 83: 85–113.
Crosby, F. (1984). Relative deprivation organizational settings. In Staw, B. M., and Cummings, L. L. (eds.),Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 6, Greenwich, CT, pp. 51–93.
Deutsch, M. (1985).Distributive Justice, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT.
Early, P. C., and Lind, E. A. (1987). Procedural justice and participation in task selection: The roles of control in mediating justice judgments.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 52: 1148–1160.
Fasolo, P. M., Eisenberger, R., and Michaelis, E. D. (1990). The effects of distributive and procedural justice on organizational performance. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Miami Beach, FL.
Folger, R. (1977). Distributive and procedural justice: Combined impact of “voice” and improvement on experienced inequity.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 35: 108–119.
Folger, R. (1986). Rethinking equity theory: A referent cognitions model. In Bierhoff, H. W., Cohen, R. L., and Greenberg, J. (eds.),Justice in Social Relations, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 145–162.
Folger, R., and Greenberg, J. (1985). Procedural justice: an interpretive analysis of personal systems. In Rowland, K., and Ferris, G. (eds.),Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, Vol. 3, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 141–183.
Folger, R., and Konovsky, M. A. (1989). Effect of procedural and distributive justice on reactions to pay raise decisions.Acad. Manage. J. 32: 115–130.
Folger, R., Konovsky, M. A., and Cropanzano, R. (1992). A due process metaphor for performance appraisal. In Staw, B. M., and Cummings, L. L. (eds.),Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 14, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 129–177.
Forkosch, M. D. (1958). American democracy and procedural fairness.Brooklyn Law Rev. 24: 173–253.
Fryxell, G. E., and Gordon, M. E. (1989). Workplace justice and job satisfaction as predictors of satisfaction with unions and management.Acad. Manage. J. 32: 851–866.
Greenberg, J. (1987). Reactions to procedural injustice in payment distributions: do the means justify the ends?J. Appl. Psychol. 72: 55–61.
Greenberg, J. (1990a). Employee thefts as a reaction to underpayment inequity: The hidden costs of pay cuts.J. Appl. Psychol. 75: 561–568.
Greenberg, J. (1990b). Organizational justice: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.J. Manage. 16: 399–432.
Greenberg, J. (1993). The social side of fairness: Interpersonal and informational classes of organizational justice. In Cropanzano, R. (ed.),Justice in the Workplace: Approaching Fairness in Human Resource Management, Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, pp. 79–103.
Konovsky, M. A., and Cropanzano, R. (1991). Perceived fairness of employee drug testing as a predictor of employee attitudes and job performance.J. Appl. Psychol. 76: 698–707.
Konovsky, M. A., and Cropanzano, R. (1993). Justice considerations in employee drug testing. In Cropanzano, R. (ed.),Justice in the Workplace: Approaching Fairness in Human Resource Management, Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, pp. 171–192.
Kulik, C. T., and Ambrose, M. L. (1992). Personal and situational determinants of referent choice.Acad. Manage. Rev. 17: 212–237.
Lind, E. A., Kanfer, R., and Earley, P. C. (1990). Voice, control, and procedural justice: Instrumental and noninstrumental concerns in fairness judgements.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 59: 971–980.
Lind, E. A., and Lissak, R. I. (1985). Apparent impropriety and procedural fairness judgments.J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 21: 19–29.
Lind, E. A., and Tyler, T. R. (1988).The Social Psychology of Procedural Justice, Plenum Press, New York.
Mark, M. M., and Folger, R. (1984). Responses to relative deprivation: A conceptual framework. In Shaver, P. (ed.)Review of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 5, Sage, Beverly Hills, CA, pp. 192–218.
Martin, J. (1981). Relative deprivation: A theory of distributive justice for an era of shrinking resources. In Cummings, L. L., and Staw, B. M. (eds.)Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 3, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 53–107.
Shapiro, D. L. (1993). Reconciling theoretical differences among procedural justice researchers by re-evaluating what it means to have one's views “considered”: Implications for third-party mangers. In Cropanzano, R. (ed.),Justice in the Workplace: Approaching Fairness in Human Resource Management, Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, pp. 51–78.
Stone, D. L., and Kotch, D. A. (1989). Individuals' attitudes toward organizational drug testing policies and practices.J. Appl. Psychol. 74: 518–521.
Stone, D. L., O'Brien, T., and Bommer, W. (1989). Individuals' reactions to job applicant drug testing practices. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Psychological Society, Washington, DC.
Taylor, D. M., Moghaddam, F. M., Gamble, I., and Zellerer, E. (1987). Disadvantaged group responses to perceived inequality: From passive acceptance to collective action.J. Soc. Psycholo. 127: 259–272.
Tyler, T. R. (1987). Conditions leading to value-expressive effects in judgments of procedural justice: A test of four models.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 52: 333–344.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cropanzano, R., Randall, M.L. Advance notice as a means of reducing relative deprivation. Soc Just Res 8, 217–238 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02334692
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02334692