Buffering Effects of Deviant Behaviors on the Relationship between Job Stress with Distributive Justice and Job Performance: Evidence from Two Independent Studies

Deviant behaviors may in some situations bring about positive consequences for human beings. This research is conducted with the aim of studying the buffering role of deviant behaviors on the relationship between job stress with perceived distributive justice and job performance. The research method was correlational and the statistical population were the employees of an administrative organization and an industrial organization in Isfahan city, from among them respectively 204 and 277 employees were selected using convenience sampling method. They were asked to respond to Job Stress, Deviant Behaviors, Distributive Justice (in the first study) and Job Performance (in the second study) Questionnaires. Results of the first study reveal that deviant behaviors toward individuals explain the relationship between job stress and job performance. Also, the results of the second study show that deviant behaviors toward individuals and organization explain the relationship between job stress and job performance. That is, when deviant behaviors toward individuals (only for first study) and toward organization are high, there is no significant relationship between job stress with perceived distributive justice (first study) and job performance (second study). But when deviant behaviors toward individuals (only for first study) and toward organization are low, there is a negative and significant relationship between job stress with perceived distributive justice (first study) and job performance (second study). In sum, the results of this investigation show that deviant behaviors toward individuals and organization can act as a cognitive and performance buffer (compensatory) factor in the relationship between job stress with perceived distributive justice and task performance.