Attention check

First, let’s see who passed the attention check.

att_1 n
0 2
1 198

Demographics

Race

race N Perc
asian 11 5.56
black 23 11.62
hispanic 12 6.06
multiracial 18 9.09
white 131 66.16
NA 3 1.52

Gender

gender N Perc
man 106 53.54
woman 89 44.95
NA 3 1.52

Age

age_mean age_sd
37.93299 11.19033

Education

edu N Perc
noHS 1 0.51
GED 43 21.72
2yearColl 19 9.60
4yearColl 92 46.46
MA 34 17.17
PHD 7 3.54
NA 2 1.01

Income

Employment

employment N Perc
Full-time 145 73.23
Full-time, Student 3 1.52
Homemaker 1 0.51
Other 3 1.52
Part-time 38 19.19
Part-time, Homemaker 2 1.01
Part-time, Other 1 0.51
Part-time, Student 3 1.52
Unemployed 2 1.01

Measures

Message chosen

Which of the following messages do you wish to send to your employee?

dom: One of 22 crowd-sourced messages.
aff: One of 26 crowd-sourced messages.

message_choice N Perc
aff 177 89.39
dom 21 10.61

Predicted selection

Do you think your employee will choose to do the task and have a chance for a bonus of up to $2, depending on your choice? Or will they opt to skip the task and the chance for a bonus? Split here by message selection.

Prediction of dominant message

message_choice choice_dom N
aff do task 91
aff skip task 86
dom do task 19
dom skip task 2

Prediction of affiliative message

message_choice choice_aff N
aff do task 171
aff skip task 6
dom do task 16
dom skip task 5

Predicted Performance

If they choose to do the task after receiving your message, how well will they perform? Their performance can range from 0 points up to 50 points (for perfect performance). Split here by message selection.

Prediction of dominant message

Prediction of affiliative message

Predicted Attitude

What will be the impact of this message on your employee’s attitude towards you? Split here by message selection.

Prediction of dominant message

Prediction of affiliative message

Predicted nomination

Do you think your employee will recommend you as a participant in this “good manager” paid follow-up survey? Split here by message selection.

Prediction of dominant message

Prediction of affiliative message

Punish decision

For each level of their performance below, please indicate what bonus you would like them to receive. You can select between 0 and 100 cents for each. 100 cents is the full $2.00.

Competitive Worldview

1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree

1. It’s a dog-eat-dog world where you have to be ruthless at times
2. Life is not governed by the “survival of the fittest.” We should let compassion and moral laws be our guide [R]
3. There is really no such thing as “right” and “wrong.” It all boils down to what you can get away with
4. One of the most useful skills a person should develop is how to look someone straight in the eye and lie convincingly
5. It is better to be loved than to be feared [R]
6. My knowledge and experience tell me that the social world we live in is basically a competitive “jungle” in which the fittest survive and succeed, in which power, wealth, and winning are everything, and might is right
7. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and never do anything unfair to someone else [R]
8. Basically people are objects to be quietly and coolly manipulated for one’s own benefit
9. Honesty is the best policy in all cases [R]
10. One should give others the benefit of the doubt. Most people are trustworthy if you have faith in them [R]

Cronbach’s alpha = 0.83

Correlations

is_dom: dummy-coded message chosen (0 = aff; 1 = dom).
attitude: predicted impact of the message on employee’s attitude towards the manager.
pred_nom: predicted nomination for “good maanger” survey
comp: score the employee will get in the task if sent this message.

Analysis

Model 1

Random effects linear regression: Competitive worldview as a predictor variable; expected relationship impact of dominant message as an outcome variable; messages shown as random effects.

Without controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 0.98 [0.32, 1.63] 2.91 174.08 .004 NA
CWV 0.57 [0.35, 0.79] 5.06 192.05 < .001 0.118

With controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 0.70 [-0.60, 2.00] 1.05 177.98 .295 NA
CWV 0.59 [0.35, 0.84] 4.70 174.53 < .001 0.112
Age 0.01 [-0.02, 0.03] 0.49 177.29 .625 0.001
Gender man 0.22 [-0.20, 0.65] 1.03 171.33 .302 0.006
Race white -0.04 [-0.52, 0.44] -0.17 174.84 .865 0.000
Income num 0.00 [-0.09, 0.09] 0.00 175.03 .996 0.000
Edu num -0.02 [-0.22, 0.18] -0.17 169.86 .864 0.000

Model 2

Random effects linear regression: Competitive worldview as a predictor variable; binary choice of dominant message as an outcome variable; messages shown as random effects.

Without controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept -0.07 [-0.21, 0.06] -1.06 181.02 .291 NA
CWV 0.07 [0.02, 0.11] 2.75 195.77 .006 0.037

With controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 0.06 [-0.21, 0.34] 0.46 177.71 .649 NA
CWV 0.04 [-0.02, 0.09] 1.39 177.48 .167 0.011
Age 0.00 [0.00, 0.00] 0.22 177.66 .826 0.000
Gender man 0.06 [-0.03, 0.15] 1.22 174.95 .223 0.008
Race white 0.00 [-0.10, 0.10] 0.02 177.54 .981 0.000
Income num 0.00 [-0.02, 0.02] 0.23 177.80 .816 0.000
Edu num -0.03 [-0.08, 0.01] -1.53 173.68 .129 0.013

Model 3

Random effects linear regression: Expected relationship impact of dominant message as a predictor variable; binary choice of dominant message as an outcome variable; expected compliance impact of dominant message as a control variable; messages shown as random effects.

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 0.11 [0.07, 0.15] 5.22 21.95 < .001 NA
Scaleattitude dom 0.11 [0.07, 0.16] 5.41 193.67 < .001 0.131
Scalecomp dom 0.03 [-0.02, 0.07] 1.20 194.84 .233 0.007

With controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 0.17 [-0.03, 0.38] 1.64 177 .102 NA
Scaleattitude dom 0.11 [0.07, 0.15] 4.95 177 < .001 0.122
Scalecomp dom 0.03 [-0.01, 0.08] 1.52 177 .131 0.013
Age 0.00 [0.00, 0.00] -0.01 177 .989 0.000
Gender man 0.04 [-0.04, 0.13] 1.04 177 .299 0.006
Race white 0.00 [-0.09, 0.09] 0.04 177 .969 0.000
Income num 0.00 [-0.02, 0.02] 0.33 177 .743 0.001
Edu num -0.03 [-0.07, 0.01] -1.49 177 .138 0.012

Random Effects Mediation Model 1

Predictor: Competitive worldview.
Mediator: Relationship expectancy.
Outcome: Selection of dominant message.
Random effects: dominant messages shown.

Effect Estimate X95..CI.Lower X95..CI.Upper p.value
ACME (indirect) 0.041 0.021 0.066 0.0000
ADE (direct) 0.027 -0.019 0.073 0.2540
Total Effect 0.068 0.021 0.115 0.0056
Prop. Mediated 0.604 0.283 1.724 0.0056

Random Effects Mediation Model 2

Predictor: Competitive worldview.
Mediator: Relationship expectancy.
Outcome: Selection of dominant message.
Random effects: dominant messages shown.
Controls: age, race, gender, education, income.

Effect Estimate X95..CI.Lower X95..CI.Upper p.value
ACME (indirect) 0.046 0.023 0.074 0.000
ADE (direct) -0.006 -0.056 0.044 0.817
Total Effect 0.040 -0.011 0.091 0.112
Prop. Mediated 1.050 -4.802 8.946 0.112

Exploratory

Hmm, breaking it all the way down by message will not be very informative, but maybe we can just see which dominant messages were selected, and which affiliative messages were the least likely to get selected:

Dominant messages

sum_shown sum_selected message_dom
10 3 Hello, I am writing you today to notify you that you must complete this task flawlessly. There may be consequences if there is any more than 10% wrong. Pay close attention to the task.
9 3 I need for you to complete a task for me. Your performance directly affects not only my bonus, but yours as well.
10 3 This task I am assigning you is pretty important and needs to be done as well as possible. If you do not perform well you will not be receiving a possible bonus that I can reward you with. If you want this bonus, you will perform according.
10 2 I want you to do this job and do it properly. I expect you to get all 50 shapes correct.
8 2 Please remember that this task directly affects your future pay and performance. Attempting to skate by or not give your full effort will result in severe consequences.
9 2 You’ve been selected for a rigorous task that will impact how the company views our team, myself, and you. This is extremely important and you must understand the gravity of the role you’re being assigned. If you were to do poorly, it would impact your standing with the company as well as in my eyes. I want you focus on succeeding in any way possible and remember how much weight this carries.
8 1 I am assigning you a simple task that needs to be completed to the best of your ability. If you perform poorly on this task, your bonus will be withheld and other consequential measures may be taken.
10 1 Reminder those that do not complete the task will not be compensated properly.
10 1 There is an activity coming up that you must participate in. This is not optional. You will be automatically enrolled, and the deadline is a hard deadline. Failure to complete the task will result in the potential to be written up.
10 1 This exercise determines your bonus. So do your best or your bonus will be affected.
9 1 This request needs to be completed immediately and if it is not done correctly, your bonus will be affected. In fact, mine is affected as well, so you better do it right.
9 1 You’ve got to have this task done in its entirety before leaving leaving today. We’re relying on you for accurate work with this one, so please do not let us down.
9 0 Dear Employee. Your performance on this task is critical to your success at this company. If you cannot complete this task well, I will have to think about whether or not you are the right fit at the ocmpany. Remember, how I see your performance influences how I see you as a performer and whether or not I want to keep you on at this company. Don’t just try your best, do your best.
8 0 Good day Team, We have an important image project that needs your full attention. This task is to be treated with high priority. Corrective action, including and up to termination, will be enforced if you turn in poor work. I expect nothing but the very best work from each of you.
9 0 I need you to prioritize this task as soon as possible. Your performance will directly impact my bonus, and let’s be real, your job security isn’t exactly rock-solid. If you don’t deliver, I will have a hard look on your role.
8 0 If you do not do well on this task, you’re at risk of being demoted and also will not receive a bonus.
9 0 If you don’t perform well at this task, your financial outcome will suffer and you will be ashamed of your performance.
9 0 It is my demand to you that you take this task seriously and try not to make any mistakes. If you do not meet my expectations and do well, I will take away your bonus and keep it for myself.
8 0 Remember this project is very important to the success of the company and your success here. If you can’t accomplish it, you may not be a good fit to continue working here.
9 0 This task is NOT optional and there is NO room for slack! You need to complete this shape identification task and I demand your full attention because I consider it a direct reflection of your focus, your effort, and your respect for this team!
8 0 You must complete this task. Do it to the best of your abilities, or else your bonus will be affected.
9 0 You need to perform on this task well, as BOTH your job and my job and bonus depends on it! As your manager I am demanding that you give it your all and show up well to represent us!

Affiliative messages

sum_shown sum_selected message_aff
6 5 Hey teammate, I chose you to help complete this shape identification task because it is a quick, fun way for both of us to earn a bonus and I know you are the perfect person for the job! I’d really appreciate your attention and focus and I’ll make sure your bonus reflects your hard work. Let’s win this together!
8 5 I know that you’ll be able to succeed at this task! Remember to use all resources available to you. I’m happy to help if you have any questions, so feel free to come right to me.
7 5 Whether you do well or not, I appreciate your hard work at this company and will continue to support you.
7 6 Hello everyone! Thank you all for agreeing to participate in this project. Please take your time and put forth your best effort in completing this activity. If any help is needed, please see me so that I can provide clarity and assistance. Good luck to you all!
7 6 Hey, i have a unique opportunity for you to contribute to our team’s success. This task could really make a difference for both of us. Your keen eye for details would be invaluable here.
8 6 I am guessing that you will do great on this task and in doing so you will earn yourself a nice little bonus. Do your best and I know the outcome will be favorable.
7 6 I’m very excited to inform you that you’ve been selected for a prestigious task. I believe you to be the most qualified and talented employee for this job due to your past success and determined personality. I foresee you excelling in this role and cannot wait to see how I can support you to address the challenges you will be tasked with.
8 6 I’ve given you a relatively easy task that I know you’ll perform your absolute best on! To help make the task a little better, you can earn a nice bonus - so make sure to give it your all! I have no doubt that you’ll find it easy and fun. You’ve got this!
8 6 We win together! You got this, I believe in your amazing abilities and by doing well, we can both walk away with pride and compensation!
8 7 Before we begin this task I just want to let you know that I appreciate all the hard work you always do and offer you a chance for a bonus. I am going to assign you a task and if you do well, there is a bonus involved for you. I know that you generally perform well, so I’m not too concerned, but wanted to give you a heads up that the better you perform the better your bonus will be for this task. Thanks again for all your hard work!
7 7 Hey. Our boss has given us a fun and easy task to complete. I think it will allow you to test your intelligence and see exactly how much you know. You will be granting a bonus based on how much you would come up with. Let’s do it! It is definitely worth our time.
7 7 Hi, I have a task that needs to be completed. You’ve got a sharp eye and I would appreciate if you could do it.
7 7 Hi, I really want you to know that I support you fully on this project. I recognize that this task can be really challenging, but I want you to remember that the most important thing is that you do your best work. Take your time, breathe throughout, and remember that we as a company are here to support you. You’re going to do great!
8 7 I am hoping you can lend your expertise on this request, given that I know you have a knack for this type of thing! I really appreciate your help, and please let me know if you have any questions!
8 7 I’m choosing this assignment for you because I know that I can count on you to do a great job. Thank you so much!
8 7 Please do the best that you can to identify all the shapes that are described. Feel free to take your time and double-check your choices - you don’t need to be perfect, just make your best effort!
7 7 This task is meant to challenge you but I have every faith that you will rise to the occasion. Take your time, think clearly and I know you will succeed.
8 7 You are completely capable of successfully completing this task. You are smart, perceptive, and discerning: all things you need to complete this task well.
8 7 You totally got this! Please match as many as you can as quickly as you can. By helping me with the work, we can achieve a lot together.
8 8 Hello, I am writing you today to encourage you on this task! We are hoping that you have everything you need to successfully complete this task but if there is anything you need, do not hesitate to reach out. We will be cheering for you!
8 8 Hi Team! Thank you so much for all your hard work so far this quarter. It has not gone unnoticed. Coming up, you will be automatically enrolled in an activity that requires your participation. It should not take long, and you will receive a small bonus in return. We realize that it has been especially busy, so if you need an extension on any deadlines in order to complete this task please do not hesitate to reach out.
8 8 I have faith that you will excel and perform this given task to the best of your ability because I know how hard-working my employees are. With that being said, there will be a monetary reward for those that perform this task as accurately and efficiently as possible!
8 8 I think you would be great for this job. You are a hard worker with great skills. I know I can count on you to get the job done.
8 8 Please do your best at this exercise as I have faith that you will try your hardest, but if you make a mistake, no worries. Just take a deep breath focus on the exercise and you will do great!
8 8 Team - We have an opportunity to earn meaningful bonuses on the upcoming pay cycle. This bonus depends on the accuracy of work you guys submit. The better the work, the higher the bonus we each receive. I know you guys are up to the task and I can’t imagine anyone being better suited to nail this challenge than you guys! thanks for all of your hard work.
8 8 We want to offer you a bonus for completing this task in its entirety to reward you being such a valuable part of our team. We believe in you, so give it your best shot!

Filter out extreme dominant messages

What if we get rid of messages that were pre-rated as above 6.5? Would that change anything?

Message chosen

Which of the following messages do you wish to send to your employee?

message_choice N Perc
aff 117 85.4
dom 20 14.6

Ok, that cuts into our sample by quite a lot (we only have 15 non-extreme dominant messages), but the ratio is definitely a lot better. Let’s see the impact on our effects.

Correlations

is_dom: dummy-coded message chosen (0 = aff; 1 = dom).
attitude: predicted impact of the message on employee’s attitude towards the manager.
pred_nom: predicted nomination for “good maanger” survey
comp: score the employee will get in the task if sent this message.

Analysis

Model 1

Random effects linear regression: Competitive worldview as a predictor variable; expected relationship impact of dominant message as an outcome variable; messages shown as random effects.

Without controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 1.34 [0.56, 2.12] 3.37 116.65 .001 NA
CWV 0.49 [0.23, 0.75] 3.73 134.25 < .001 0.094

With controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 1.18 [-0.37, 2.72] 1.49 123.99 .139 NA
CWV 0.55 [0.25, 0.84] 3.61 123.27 < .001 0.095
Age 0.01 [-0.02, 0.03] 0.62 123.85 .536 0.003
Gender man 0.21 [-0.31, 0.73] 0.79 120.52 .429 0.005
Race white -0.06 [-0.67, 0.56] -0.18 120.10 .860 0.000
Income num -0.05 [-0.16, 0.06] -0.96 123.70 .339 0.007
Edu num -0.03 [-0.26, 0.21] -0.22 119.84 .824 0.000

Model 2

Random effects linear regression: Competitive worldview as a predictor variable; binary choice of dominant message as an outcome variable; messages shown as random effects.

Without controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept -0.07 [-0.24, 0.11] -0.74 135 .461 NA
CWV 0.08 [0.02, 0.14] 2.49 135 .014 0.044

With controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 0.15 [-0.21, 0.52] 0.83 124 .411 NA
CWV 0.04 [-0.03, 0.11] 1.22 124 .223 0.012
Age 0.00 [-0.01, 0.01] -0.15 124 .880 0.000
Gender man 0.06 [-0.07, 0.18] 0.90 124 .370 0.006
Race white 0.01 [-0.13, 0.16] 0.16 124 .876 0.000
Income num 0.00 [-0.03, 0.03] -0.01 124 .990 0.000
Edu num -0.04 [-0.10, 0.01] -1.51 124 .134 0.018

Model 3

Random effects linear regression: Expected relationship impact of dominant message as a predictor variable; binary choice of dominant message as an outcome variable; expected compliance impact of dominant message as a control variable; messages shown as random effects.

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 0.15 [0.09, 0.20] 5.21 134 < .001 NA
Scaleattitude dom 0.13 [0.07, 0.18] 4.39 134 < .001 0.126
Scalecomp dom 0.04 [-0.02, 0.09] 1.32 134 .189 0.013

With controls

term estimate conf.int statistic df p.value eta2
Intercept 0.26 [-0.02, 0.54] 1.80 123 .074 NA
Scaleattitude dom 0.12 [0.06, 0.18] 4.03 123 < .001 0.117
Scalecomp dom 0.05 [-0.01, 0.11] 1.65 123 .101 0.022
Age 0.00 [-0.01, 0.00] -0.48 123 .636 0.002
Gender man 0.05 [-0.06, 0.16] 0.85 123 .395 0.006
Race white 0.01 [-0.12, 0.14] 0.13 123 .894 0.000
Income num 0.01 [-0.02, 0.03] 0.64 123 .525 0.003
Edu num -0.04 [-0.09, 0.01] -1.50 123 .137 0.018

Random Effects Mediation Model 1

Predictor: Competitive worldview.
Mediator: Relationship expectancy.
Outcome: Selection of dominant message.
Random effects: dominant messages shown.

Effect Estimate X95..CI.Lower X95..CI.Upper p.value
ACME (indirect) 0.039 0.015 0.070 0.0002
ADE (direct) 0.038 -0.020 0.098 0.2130
Total Effect 0.077 0.017 0.139 0.0132
Prop. Mediated 0.506 0.175 1.797 0.0134

Random Effects Mediation Model 2

Predictor: Competitive worldview.
Mediator: Relationship expectancy.
Outcome: Selection of dominant message.
Random effects: messages shown.
Controls: age, race, gender, education, income.

Effect Estimate X95..CI.Lower X95..CI.Upper p.value
ACME (indirect) 0.046 0.018 0.082 0.000
ADE (direct) -0.002 -0.069 0.064 0.953
Total Effect 0.044 -0.023 0.111 0.202
Prop. Mediated 0.875 -6.544 8.897 0.202