The impact of abusive supervision on subordinate job satisfaction: The moderating role of subordinate negative affectivity

Based on self-verification theory, this study examines whether compatibility between a supervisor leadership style (i.e., abusive supervision) and a subordinate dispositional characteristic (i.e., negative affectivity) relates to subordinates’ job satisfaction. The present study proposes and finds that the effects of abusive supervision on subordinate job satisfaction are attenuated when the subordinate has high negative affectivity. Field studies from the United States and China reveal that the negative relationship between abusive supervision and subordinate job satisfaction is weakened (i.e., becomes less negative) when the subordinate has higher levels of negative affectivity compared to when the subordinate has lower levels of negative affectivity.