Subordinate perceptions of superior's communication competence and task attraction related to superior's use of compliance‐gaining tactics

This study attempted to integrate extant research on pro‐ and antisocial compliance‐gaining tactic selection decisions with research about the effects of compliance‐gaining tactic use. Forty employees of a state‐operated mental health institution rated an actor's (supervisor's) communication competence and task attractiveness: 20 subjects rated the actor's characteristics based on a videotaped instantiation of a prosocial compliance‐gaining tactic (liking) and 20 subjects rated the same actor's characteristics based on a videotaped instantiation of an antisocial compliance‐gaining tactic (negative altercasting). Analysis of variance indicated that the actor was rated as more competent when using liking than negative altercasting, and a model supporting the tactic‐competence‐task attraction path relationship is presented.