When is criticism not constructive? The roles of fairness perceptions and dispositional attributions in employee acceptance of critical supervisory feedback

The effects of justice and dispositional attribution on reactions to negati ve supervisory feedback were examined in two studies. Study I showed that c riticism delivered with greater interpersonal fairness resulted in more fav ourable dispositional attributions about the supervisor, more acceptance of the feedback, and more favourable reactions towards the superior and the o rganization. The beneficial influence of just interpersonal treatment was g eneral across various feedback contexts, although the magnitude varied. Stu dy 2 clarified the causal ordering: just interpersonal treatment reduced ne gative dispositional attribution, which in turn increased feedback acceptan ce and improved attitudes towards the supervisor. Study 2 also distinguishe d the consequences of perceived fairness in the formal procedures applied t o forming the feedback, as opposed to interpersonal treatment during its de livery.