15812: Effect of Illegitimate Tasks on Helping Behavior: The Role of Schadenfreude and Competition (session 25816)

Monday, July 28, 2025

12:00 - 13:30 CEST (GMT+2)

Location: Bella Center: Hall B- B5-m2

Session Type: Paper Session
Shareable link: https://cdmcd.co/k963EA

Author(s)

YS

Yang Sui

U. of Science and Technology Beijing, China
GH

Guangxi Hou

University of Science and Technology Beijing, China
YC

Yifeng Chen

Lingnan U., Hong Kong
YR

Yan Rong

College of Business. Shanghai U. of Finance and Economics, China
RC

Rongxin Chen

University of Science and Technology Beijing, China
JL

Jiayi Li

University of Science and Technology Beijing, China

Employees at workplace are often assigned with illegitimate tasks (ITs), which can influence them in various ways. Previous studies have primarily focused on the impacts of ITs on victims, largely neglecting third parties’ perspectives. Drawing on social information processing theory (SIP), we propose that competition relationship can moderate the relationship between ITs and observer’s schadenfreude and helping behavior. Moreover, in high-competition relationship, observed ITs are positively associated with observers’ schadenfreude, leading to decreased helping behavior toward victims. In contrast, in low-competition relationship, observed ITs are not associated with observers’ schadenfreude or helping behavior. Data from an experiment and a field study mainly support our hypotheses. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings and directions for future research.

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