The role of identity salience in the relationship between identification sources and deviant workplace behavior

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between identification sources and negative and positive deviant workplace behavior and to understand the moderator role of identity salience in this relationship. Data were collected from a sample group of 425 participants working in different sectors to test the research model which was formed within identity, social identity and social exchange theories. Data collected by questionnaire were analyzed with statistical programs. The results showed that there were negative relationship between organizational identification and negative deviant workplace behavior and a positive relationship between organizational identification and positive deviant workplace behavior. In addition, it was found that organizational identification was more related to the organizational dimension of negative and positive deviant workplace behavior; on the other hand, relational identification was more related to the interpersonal dimension of negative and positive deviant workplace behavior within the target similarity model. On the other side, there was no significant relationship between occupational identification and deviant workplace behavior. Moreover, it was found that identity salience had a moderation effect on the relationship among organizational, relational identification and negative deviant workplace behavior and also on the relationship between occupational identification and positive deviant workplace behavior. In the framework of results, it was understood that organizational and relational identification affects negative and positive deviant workplace behavior and identity salience moderates the relationship between identification sources and deviant workplace behavior.