The Unfolding Model of Counterproductive Work Behavior

Julia Baines

Advisor: Reeshad S. Dalal, PhD, Department of Psychology

Committee Members: Seth Kaplan, Lauren Kuykendall

Online Location, https://gmu.zoom.us/j/92352466438?pwd=3NzzLgOfjSOcnrXRO4g6avlNNoVjo3.1, Meeting Passcode: 670939
April 06, 2026, 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM

Abstract:

Research on counterproductive work behavior (CWB) has traditionally emphasized dispositional and situational predictors while failing to capture specific decision processes that precede momentary CWB enactment. The current paper adapts the unfolding model of turnover (Lee & Mitchell, 1994) into an unfolding model of CWB that delineates a series of decision paths associated with momentary CWB enactment. Survey data from a large sample of employees (N = 1,536) regarding CWB enacted during the previous workday support the existence of six decision paths, including paths with and without a precipitating event, and with and without shifts in affect or job satisfaction. Results suggest that paths vary temporally and in terms of their empirical frequency. These findings help explain how CWB can emerge in different patterns—between and within individuals—as a result of various situational, affective, and cognitive mechanisms on a particular occasion. Although the six decision paths do not classify all instances of CWB in the sample, the proposed model nonetheless yields insights that promote theoretical precision and support the development of more effective strategies to address and reduce CWB.