The u-shaped relationship between locus of control and prohibitive voice via perceived risk of prohibitive voice: The moderating role of team voice climate.

Locus of control (LOC) has been recognized as a key individual disposition shaping employee behavior; however, its relationship with risk-taking behaviors such as prohibitive voice remains inconclusive. This research extends the literature by theorizing and testing a U-shaped relationship between LOC and prohibitive voice. Drawing upon the demands-abilities fit framework, we propose that employees with either strongly internal or strongly external LOC perceive lower risk associated with speaking up than those with moderate LOC, resulting in greater engagement in prohibitive voice. Moreover, this mediated U-shaped relationship is more pronounced when team voice climate is low rather than high. Findings from two field studies with a multisource, multiwave design support the proposed moderated mediation model. Overall, this research refines our understanding of why and when employees speak up about problems at work and suggests ways managers can better foster such behavior in situations that feel risky. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).