Organizational Justice, Trustworthiness, and Trust: A Multifoci Examination

Abstract

Drawing from the extant literature on organizational justice and trust, this study examines the effects of justice perceptions on trustworthiness perceptions and interpersonal trust in authority figures. Results indicate differential effects of procedural, interpersonal and informational justice on the three components of perceived trustworthiness: ability, benevolence, and integrity. Consistent with multifoci organizational justice and social exchange theory, the effects are dependent on the authority figure being referenced and the nature of the exchange relationship between authority and subordinate. Results also indicate that trust in the proximal referent led to increased ability to focus on work-related tasks, whereas trust in the distal referent did not influence such ability to focus. Ability to focus on work-related tasks predicted organizational citizenship behaviors directed at both the organization and individuals.