https://doi.org/10.59132/vviz/2020/1/47-103
Abstract
Triggered by personal experience, an interdisciplinary literature review vwas conducted of characteristics, factors (annexed their mutual correlations) and dynamics of antisocial (A) and destructive (D) – hostile, abusive, irresponsible . . . – behavior inside and outside the workplace, among others characterized by their obstructive and toxic features. AD behavior seems to be on the rise (cf. bullying at work, traffic aggression, right-wing political thinking), not only against subordinates (downwards), against colleagues (horizontal) or against the school organization in general but also against headmasters/principals (upwards), which is a specific and often ignored form of hostile behavior (known as ‘employees’ upwards hostility’ (Camps 2015)). Although the academic disciplines of (social) psychology, sociology, criminology, (social) anthropology, (moral) philosophy, ethics, communication science, neuroscience (. . .) all appear to offer very interesting notions, concepts, theories and models of explanation, they remain very fragmented in their analysis of ad behavior. However, these studies generally point in the same direction. In this article, we attempt to combine a wide range of approaches and explanations into one overarching theoretical model: a Grand Theory of ad behavior. This way we hope to contribute to better understanding of what consciously or unconsciously leads people to antisocial, destructive and irresponsible behavior, in everyday as well as in professional life. Herewith, the article responds to insight that scientific discipline of (applied) ethics may need to pay more attention to negative, irresponsible behavior, what it causes and how it works, rather than to examples of prosocial and constructive behavior if it is to contribute better to responsible behavior between the average citizen and staff. The Grand Theory offers more insight into why destructive people do what they do – ‘a person’s failure to acknowledge what is too obvious to miss’ (Bok 1989) – and cues to recognize destructive and ‘evil’ behavior as a whole. Herewith, the Grand Theory opens perspectives on a new interpretation as well as a new approach (management) of antisocial and destructive behavior within organizations. Also in school organizations, leaders (e.g., headmasters and principals, members of the board) are confronted with antisocial and destructive behavior, not only by pupils/students or their parents but also by staff members, sometimes middle managers. For school organizations too, the Grand Theory of ad Behavior offers an impetus to an adapted policy for which we offer some suggestions.
Povzetek
Velika teorija antisocialnega in destruktivnega vedenja
Na podlagi osebnih izkušenj je bil izveden interdisciplinarni pregled literature na temo značilnosti, dejavnikov (z vključeno medsebojno korelacijo) in dinamike antisocialnega (A) in destruktivnega (D) – sovražnega, neprimernega, neodgovornega . . . – vedenja na delovnem mestu in izven njega, ki ga med drugim zaznamujejo moteče in škodljive lastnosti. Zdi se, da je AD vedenje v porastu (npr. nasilje na delovnem mestu, agresivnost v prometu, desničarsko politično razmišljanje), ne le do podrejenih (navzdol), do kolegov (vodoravno) ali do šolske organizacije na splošno, ampak tudi do ravnateljev (navzgor), kar je specifična in pogosto spregledana oblika sovražnega vedenja (znana kot »navzgor usmerjena sovražnost zaposlenih« (Kampi 2015)). Čeprav se zdi, da akademske discipline (družbene) psihologije, sociologije, kriminologije, (družbene) antropologije, (moralne) filozofije, etike, komunikologije, nevroznanosti (. . .) navajajo zelo zanimive pojme, koncepte, teorije in modele razlage, ostajajo le-te na področju analize ad vedenja precej nepovezane. Kljub vsemu pa študije načeloma vodijo v isto smer. Članek predstavlja poskus združevanja široke palete pristopov in razlag v enovit in splošen teoretični model: veliko teorijo AD vedenja. Njegov namen je prispevati k boljšemu razumevanju dejavnikov, ki ljudi zavestno ali nezavedno vodijo v antisocialno, destruktivno in neodgovorno vedenje, tako v vsakdanjem kot tudi v poklicnem svetu. Odgovarja na trditev, da je treba v znanstveni disciplini (uporabne) etike posvetiti več pozornosti negativnemu, neodgovornemu vedenju, njegovim posledicam in načinu delovanja, kot pa primerom prosocialnega in konstruktivnega vedenja, saj je posameznike v različnih vlogah le tako mogoče usmeriti v bolj odgovorno vedenje. Velika teorija ponuja več vpogleda v to, zakaj destruktivni ljudje počnejo to, kar počnejo – »neuspeh posameznika priznati, kar je preveč očitno, da bi lahko zgrešil« (Bok 1989) – in opozarja na destruktivno in »zlo« vedenje kot celoto. S tem odpira perspektive za novo razlago in tudi nov pristop (upravljanje) antisocialnega in destruktivnega vedenja znotraj organizacij. Tudi v šolskih organizacijah se vodilni kader (npr. ravnatelji, člani upravnega odbora) sooča z antisocialnim in destruktivnim vedenjem ne le učencev/študentov ali njihovih staršev, temveč tudi uslužbencev, ponavadi srednjega vodstvenega osebja. Šolskim organizacijam velika teorija ad vedenja ponuja možnost prilagoditve politik in v zvezi s tem je podanih nekaj predlogov.