Shooting from the hip: A habit perspective of voice

Research on voice has traditionally employed a deliberative perspective, whereby individuals engage in careful calculation of individual and situational factors to determine whether to speak up. In this article we draw from psychological research on automaticity to propose an alternative perspective—a habit perspective—whereby individuals are relatively unaware of situational factors relevant for their voice decision, have difficulty controlling their impulse to voice, and are efficient in their voice decision-making process. We then propose a contingency framework identifying both functional and dysfunctional outcomes of voice habit, dependent on key boundary conditions, and address the unique consequences of strong situations that suppress habitual voicers from speaking up. We conclude with a discussion of theoretical implications and directions for future research.