On the relationship between implicit attitudes and counterproductive work behaviors

We used the Implicit Association Test (IAT) to assess employees’ implicit attitudes towards counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) and contrasted employees’ explicit attitudes with their implicit attitudes towards those behaviors. We hypothesized that employees’ implicit attitudes would predict employees’ self‐rating and supervisory rating of CWB. Data from 74 employees in a large retail store confirmed the hypotheses. This paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the study.