Understanding the Phenomenon of Gaslighting in Organizational Relationships

Yasini, Ali; Adinehvand, Mohammad; Kabiri Yeganeh, Mahmoudreza

doi:10.30473/ipom.2025.72844.5073

Document Type : Exploratory

Authors

¹ Associate Professor, Department of Managemen, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran.

² MSc Student, Department of Management (Human Resource Development), Ilam University, Ilam, Iran.

³ Ph.D, Department of Media Management, Branch Science and Research Tehran, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.30473/ipom.2025.72844.5073

Abstract

One of the acute forms of organizational and interpersonal misconduct in communication is the phenomenon of gaslighting, which refers to the emotional abuse of an individual or a type of psychological harassment inflicted by others. This is achieved through the imposition of psychological pressures on the targeted individual, resulting in a disruption of their organizational duties. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to analyze employees' perceptions and lived experiences of gaslighting in organizational relationships within government organizations in Kermanshah city. To this end, a qualitative research method employing a phenomenological approach was utilized to understand and identify the phenomenon of gaslighting in organizational contexts. The participants in the study consisted of employees from various government organizations in Kermanshah, with a total of 20 interviews conducted using purposive sampling until data saturation was achieved. The inter-rater agreement coefficient was utilized to assess reliability, while validity of the identified codes was ensured through peer review and participant feedback. The results of the content analysis coding revealed that the phenomenon of gaslighting encompasses 18 main categories, which can be categorized into four distinct areas. The first area pertains to management and leadership, which includes categories such as: the manager's inability to accept mistakes, lack of personal accountability, limitations in decision-making, non-acceptance of others' opinions, and dismissal of emotions. The second area relates to communication and social interactions, which includes categories such as: controlling social relationships, disseminating misinformation, instilling uncertainty and doubt in the individual, concealment, and exploiting feelings of sadness and despair. The third area encompasses managerial and professional behaviors, which includes categories such as: blame-oriented behaviors, Machiavellian conduct, bullying, persistent criticism, projecting behaviors, and utilizing past emotions. The fourth area is psychological, which encompasses categories such as controlling employees' personal lives and blame-related behaviors.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Conceptualization

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Public Organizations Management

Understanding the Phenomenon of Gaslighting in Organizational Relationships

References

References

Volume 13, Vol 2 , Series 50 - Serial Number 50
May 2025
Pages 67-90

Understanding the Phenomenon of Gaslighting in Organizational Relationships

References

References

Volume 13, Vol 2 , Series 50 - Serial Number 50May 2025Pages 67-90

Volume 13, Vol 2 , Series 50 - Serial Number 50
May 2025
Pages 67-90