Abstract: Based on neutralization techniques theory, this paper puts forward the hypothesis about the relationship between leader’s non-contingent punishment and employee’s deviant behaviors; then it constructs a mediated moderation effect model by introducing employee’s moral disengagement as mediating variable and organizational differential atmosphere as moderating variable. The findings of the empirical analysis on the basis of the data of paired samples between the superiors and subordinates show that leader’s non-contingent punishment has a positive impact on employee’s deviant behaviors, that employee’s moral disengagement can partially mediate the relationship between leader’s non-contingent punishment and employee’s deviant behaviors, that organizational differential atmosphere can positively moderate the impact of leader’s non-contingent punishment on employee’s moral disengagement and deviant behaviors, and that the moderating effect of organizational differential atmosphere between non-contingent punishment and deviant behaviors should be realized through the partial mediation of employee’s moral disengagement.

Key words: leader’s non-contingent punishment; employee’s deviant behaviors; employee’s moral disengagement; organizational differential atmosphere; neutralization techniques theory