Palatable Unjust Desserts: How Procedural Justice Weakens the Pain of Perceived Pay Inequity

• In Event: 039 - Section on Social Psychology Paper Session. Interconnections: Social Psychology and Organizational Processes

Abstract

Decades of equity and distributive justice research document that perceived pay inequity is associated with more dissatisfaction. However, no population-based research has evaluated the situational factors that modify this association. Using nationally representative data from the 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2010 Quality of Work Life modules of the General Social Survey, the present study elaborates on the classic focal association between perceived pay inequity and job dissatisfaction by illustrating the moderating functions of procedural justice. Results indicate that compared to workers who perceive to be paid appropriately, workers who perceive underpayment are more dissatisfied with their jobs. The pattern resembles a gradient whereby dissatisfaction increases with the severity of underpayment. However, contrary to theory that overpaid individuals should be more dissatisfied than those who perceive appropriate pay, results indicate no difference in job dissatisfaction between overpaid and appropriately paid workers. We observe that procedural justice weakens the positive association between perceived underpayment and job dissatisfaction. For individuals who perceive high promotion prospects, promotion fairness, and decision-making participation, the relationship between perceived underpayment and dissatisfaction is flat. We situate these findings in a broader discussion on the emotional consequences of distributive injustice, and the situational factors that function as modifiers.  

Author

• Atsushi Narisada, University of Toronto