Psychological Entitlement and Moral Disengagement as Antecedents of Compliance with COVID‐19 Workplace Safety Protocols and the Moderating Role of Moral Identity

Abstract

AbstractIn an effort to aid the reopening of workplaces and curb the spread of COVID‐19 in the workplace, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States of America issued a set of guidelines for COVID‐19. While the importance of these measures has been touted, studies focusing on antecedents of compliance with workplace safety guidelines, including those of COVID‐19, are at a nascent stage. The current research draws on social cognitive theory to investigate the effect of psychological entitlement on adherence to COVID‐19 workplace safety protocols. Specifically, the present study proposes that psychological entitlement increases one's tendency for moral disengagement, which subsequently reduces compliance with COVID‐19 workplace safety protocols. Consistent with social cognitive theory, the study further proposes moral identity as a conditional moderator in mitigating the proposed relationships. The current study finds general support for the hypothesized moderated mediation model by employing multi‐wave data collected from various organizations in the United States (N = 351). Theoretical and practical implications, as well as future research directions, are discussed.