Abusive supervision (AS) is an antiproductive behavior that significantly affects operational efficiency and employee performance, but its precise impact mechanism remains poorly understood. This study aimed to quantify the differential impact of active versus passive AS on construction workers’ work efficiency and verify the mediating role of cognitive states. Utilizing electroencephalogram (EEG) feature extraction integrated with cognitive science, we exposed 25 construction worker participants to randomized scenarios simulating active AS, passive AS, and control conditions. Behavioral performance data and cognitive state indicators were systematically collected and analyzed. AS significantly reduced work efficiency, with active AS having a greater impact than passive AS. AS was negatively correlated with attention and valence index, but positively correlated with mental fatigue. The adoption of EEG technology introduced a novel methodological approach to construction AS research, and this study empirically reveals the pathway through which AS impairs work efficiency via cognitive impairment. It provides a scientific foundation for developing targeted interventions to mitigate AS’s adverse effects on construction worker productivity.
Cao et al. (Tue,) studied this question.