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Deceptive Impression Management: Does Deception Pay in Established Workplace Relationships?

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Abstract

We examine deceptive impression management’s effect on a supervisor’s ratings of promotability and relationship quality (i.e., leader–member exchange) via the mediating role of the supervisor’s recognition of deception. Extending ego depletion theory using social information processing theory, we argue that deceptive impression management in a supervisor-subordinate relationship is difficult to accomplish and the degree that deception is detected will negatively impact desired outcomes. Data collected from a matched sample of 171 public sector employees and their supervisors supported this model and indicated that recognition fully mediated the negative relationships between deceptive impression management with supervisor’s rating of promotability and relationship quality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Systems, Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, One Bear Place #98005, Waco, TX, 76798-8005, U.S.A.

    John R. Carlson

  2. Department of Management, Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, One Bear Place #98007, Waco, TX, 76798-8013, U.S.A.

    Dawn S. Carlson

  3. Department of Management, Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, One Bear Place #98006, Waco, TX, 76798-8006, U.S.A.

    Merideth Ferguson

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  1. John R. Carlson
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  3. Merideth Ferguson
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Correspondence to Merideth Ferguson.

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Carlson, J.R., Carlson, D.S. & Ferguson, M. Deceptive Impression Management: Does Deception Pay in Established Workplace Relationships?. J Bus Ethics 100, 497–514 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0693-9

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