The role of performance antecedents and consequences in work motivation: Correction to Komaki, Collins, and Penn.

Reports an error in the original article by Judith L. Komaki, Robert L. Collins, and Pat Penn (Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 67, No. 3, pp. 334-340). An incorrect version of Figure 1 was printed. The correct version is provided. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1982-26864-001.) Assessed the effects of both antecedents and consequences while keeping supervisory involvement and stimulus changes constant. The safety performance of 200 employees in 4 departments of a processing plant was monitored 3 times/wk over 46 wks. A multiple baseline design was used in which the phases were introduced in steps. Following baseline, the antecedent condition was presented, in which safety rules were explained and safety meetings held, along with frequent supervisor interaction and stimulus changes. Then the performance consequence, feedback, in which a feedback graph was maintained and feedback meetings held, was added. The antecedent condition, even when bolstered by fairly extensive supervisor involvement, resulted in improvements in only 2 out of 4 departments. Only during the consequent condition did performance significantly improve in all departments over baseline and antecedent conditions. Furthermore, employees reported that they preferred obtaining information following their performance. The results confirm that performance consequences such as feedback play a critical role in work motivation and that antecedents alone may not be effective in all cases, even with fairly extensive supervisor involvement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of motivation in verbal learning and performance.

"It is the major thesis of the present paper that the question as to whether a given variable acts as a motive or reflects a motivational state can be answered only in the context of explicit assumptions concerning the particular ways in which motivational variables can be differentiated from other variables in their influence on behavior. In view of the current confusions between the concepts of motivation and habit, it would appear to be particularly desirable to distinguish between the associative and nonassociative properties of variables." 57 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of work habits in the motivation of food safety behaviors.

The authors considered work habits within an integrated framework of motivated behavior. A distinction made between automatic and controlled action led to 2 measures of work habits: a habit strength measure reflecting the 4 characteristics of automaticity and a measure of work routines under conscious control. Workers at a turkey processing plant (N = 162) responded to an extensive survey of these work habits measures with regard to food safety. Results indicated that attitudes and subjective norms predicted food safety intentions. These intentions, along with perceived behavior control and work habits, predicted reports of food safety behaviors. A mediation analysis indicated that the work routines measure accounted for the variance in self-reported behavior and mediated any effect of the habit strength measure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Emotional exhaustion and job performance: The mediating role of motivation.

The literature concerning the relationship between emotional exhaustion and performance led researchers to raise questions about the extent to which the variables are related. In 2 time-lagged samples, the authors found that motivation mediates the emotional exhaustion-job performance relationship. Moreover, the authors found that participants appear to target their investment of resources in response to emotional exhaustion to develop social support through social exchange; specifically, emotional exhaustion was associated with communion striving resources that were manifest in the form of organizational citizenship behaviors targeted at individuals. Implications of this relationship for theories of burnout and for management practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of motivational antecedents of the work performance of scientists and engineers.

66 scientists and engineers served as Ss. The 4 models assessed were direction of motivational orientation, source of motivational stimulation, job dedication, and an expectancy model. Work performance was measured by both self-reports and actual output of papers, patents, and books; and by self-reports of unpublished technical reports and formal talks. Results generally indicate that the expectancy model is a better predictor of work performance than the other 3 models. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some antecedents and consequences of social-comparison jealousy.

80 undergraduates were randomly assigned to 1 of 8 experimental conditions in which they received either positive or negative feedback on a bogus personality test that was either self-definitionally relevant or irrelevant, followed by feedback of successful performance by another person in a domain that was either relevant or irrelevant to the S. Dependent measures included scores on the Depression Adjective Check Lists and the State scale of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory. Significantly greater jealousy of the other person was reported in the condition in which the S received negative feedback regarding own performance on a self-involving characteristic, and in which the successful performance of the other was on the same characteristic. Ss in this condition were more likely to disparage the rival and less likely to desire his or her friendship. In addition, these Ss tended to feel more depressed and anxious about interacting with the comparison person. (50 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychopathology and academic performance: The role of motivation and learning strategies.

How psychopathology, defined as high psychological distress with concomitant limited coping resources, relates to students' academic performance and its determinants is examined. The correlation between college students' (N?=?326) level of psychopathology and their course grade was not significant. However, psychopathology was significantly related to students' motivation and use of learning strategies that were, in turn, related to academic performance. Specifically, more poorly adjusted students perceived themselves as less competent to succeed, experienced greater test anxiety, and were less likely to regulate their study environment, persist in the face of difficulty, and seek academic assistance when needed. Structural equation modeling (EQS) provided evidence that psychopathology had a significant indirect effect on performance and demonstrated the important role of self-efficacy and resource management. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of internal-external control to work motivation and performance in an expectancy model.

Conducted a study of 80 officer and 127 enlisted Naval personnel to investigate the hypotheses that internality (perception of much control) is positively related to (a) the concept of instrumentality from expectancy theory, (b) work motivation as measured by ratings and by expectancy theory measures, (c) job performance as measured by ratings, and (d) rank. These hypotheses were confirmed at or beyond the .05 significance level. A multitrait-multirater matrix showed convergent but no discriminant validity for ratings by supervisors, peers, and the Ss themselves on the Ss' job effort and performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of motivation in psychological stress.

"This paper reports an experiment designed to investigate motivational characteristics of individuals in response to stressor conditions… . Findings… highlight the methodological difficulties… and indicate the importance of investigating… variables in stress experimentation." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal and interpersonal antecedents and consequences of victimization by peers.

This study was designed to determine whether the personal and interpersonal difficulties that characterize victimized children are antecedents of victimization, consequences of victimization, or both. Boys and girls in the 3rd through 7th grades (N?=?173, mean age?=?11.3 years) were assessed on victimization, personal variables (internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and physical strength), and interpersonal variables (number of friends and peer rejection). One year later children were assessed again on all variables. Internalizing problems, physical weakness, and peer rejection contributed uniquely to gains in victimization over time. Moreover, initial victimization predicted increases in later internalizing symptoms and peer rejection. These reciprocal influences suggest the existence of a vicious cycle that supports the strong temporal stability of peer victimization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of motivation and orientation in sensory preconditioning.

Explored the effect of hunger on sensory preconditioning. Ss were 17 male cats. An appetitive task was used to test for sensory preconditioning effects in order to avoid complications arising from differences of drive state during preconditioning and testing for preconditioning. It was found that hunger facilitated the association between paired auditory and visual stimuli, but not between stimuli presented separately and in random order. Examination of the orientation responses of Ss during preconditioning indicate that the auditory stimulus becomes an arousing cue that signals the onset of the visual stimulus. It is suggested that the orientation responses produced as a consequence of this cue function are responsible for the association of the auditory and visual stimuli. (French summary) (19 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Complaints and complaining: Functions, antecedents, and consequences.

Although everyone complains at least occasionally, surprisingly little research attention has been devoted to the topic of complaining. In this review, complaints are defined as expressions of dissatisfaction, whether subjectively experienced or not, for the purpose of venting emotions or achieving intrapsychic goals, interpersonal goals, or both. A theoretical model of complaining is presented that examines the relationship between self-focus, the perceived utility of complaining, and complaining. In addition, the article examines variables related to people's dissatisfaction and complaining thresholds (i.e., negative affect, locus of control, self-presentational concerns, age, and gender), functions of complaining, and intrapersonal and interpersonal consequences of complaining. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of achievement motivation in job design.

Examined the effects of job scope and need for achievement (n Ach) on organizational commitment and performance among a sample of 115 managers in various departments of a major midwest manufacturing firm. Measures of perceived job scope, n Ach (Manifest Needs Questionnaire), and commitment were obtained from the sample, whereas independent performance ratings were obtained from their superiors. Using both moderated regression and subgroup analysis, it was found that high-scope jobs (i.e., jobs characterized by greater amounts of variety, autonomy, task identity and feedback) were directly related to managerial commitment to the organization; n Ach did not moderate the relationship. Furthermore, it was found that the effect of high job scope on performance was moderated by n Ach. This latter finding is consistent with earlier research on need for achievement and suggests that the n Ach construct offers considerable utility for future research on job design. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Held in contempt: The psychological, interpersonal, and performance consequences of contempt in a work context.

Guided by a social function of emotions perspective, the authors examined a model of the psychological, interpersonal, and performance consequences of contempt in a series of 3 experiments that tested the outcomes of being a recipient of contempt in the work domain. In these experiments, participants engaged in a business strategy simulation with a virtual partner—a computer programmed to give contemptuous and other types of feedback. In Study 1, which examined the task performance and interpersonal outcomes of contempt, recipients of contempt had significantly better task performance but also significantly more interpersonal aggressiveness toward their virtual partners compared with recipients of failure, angry, or neutral feedback. Study 2 examined 3 psychological outcomes mediating the contempt–task performance/aggression relationship: self-esteem, returned feelings of contempt, and activation levels. Lowered levels of implicit self-esteem and greater levels of activation significantly mediated the relationship between receiving contempt and task performance, whereas the contempt–aggression relationship was mediated by lowered implicit self-esteem and increased feelings of returned contempt. Study 3 examined status as a moderator of these relationships. Low-status recipients had significantly better task performance than did equal-status recipients, who performed significantly better than did the high-status recipients of contempt. In addition, low-status recipients displayed significantly lower levels of aggression in response to contempt than did equal-status and high-status recipients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Burnout among Norwegian police officers: Potential antecedents and consequences.

This investigation examined potential antecedents and consequences of burnout in a large sample of Norwegian police officers. Data were collected via anonymously completed questionnaires. Three burnout components considered were emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and low professional efficacy. Work demands emerged in hierarchical regression analyses as the strongest predictor of each burnout component. With the burnout components as predictors, hierarchical regression analyses indicated that burnout components had significant relationships with a variety of outcomes (work, work-family, psychological health, physical health). Work demands, however, had a stronger relationship with both work and work-family outcomes than did the burnout components, the latter having the strongest relationship with indicators of psychological health. Emotional exhaustion had significant and independent relationships with most of the outcome measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modeling the antecedents of proactive behavior at work.

Using a sample of U.K. wire makers (N = 282), the authors tested a model in which personality and work environment antecedents affect proactive work behavior via cognitive-motivational mechanisms. Self-reported proactive work behaviors (proactive idea implementation and proactive problem solving) were validated against rater assessments for a subsample (n = 60) of wire makers. With the exception of supportive supervision, each antecedent was important, albeit through different processes. Proactive personality was significantly associated with proactive work behavior via role breadth self-efficacy and flexible role orientation, job autonomy was also linked to proactive behavior via these processes, as well as directly; and coworker trust was associated with proactive behavior via flexible role orientation. In further support of the model, the cognitive-motivational processes for proactive work behavior differed from those for the more passive outcome of generalized compliance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Core self-evaluations and job performance: The role of the perceived work environment.

Using trait activation theory as a framework, the authors examined the moderating role of two situational variables—perceptions of organizational politics and perceptions of leader effectiveness—on the relationship between core self-evaluations and job performance. Results from two samples (N = 137 and N = 226) indicate that employee perceptions of their work environment moderated the relationship between their core self-evaluations and supervisor ratings of their performance. In particular, those with higher core self-evaluations received higher performance ratings in environments perceived as favorable than in environments perceived as unfavorable. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A meta-analysis of the antecedents and consequences of pay level satisfaction.

This study reports results from a meta-analysis of 28 correlates of pay level satisfaction involving 240 samples from 203 studies conducted over the past 35 years. Results are presented in 4 categories: primary determinants, antecedents, correlates, and outcomes of pay satisfaction. The authors controlled for pay in examining relations between correlates and pay level satisfaction, as suggested by theory and when primary studies were available to do so. The authors found support for many of the relations suggested by a theoretical model and also note some limitations in the research that has tested this model. The authors recommend changes and additions to the model and suggest additional primary research in specific areas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The functional consequences of memory impairments on initial work performance in people with schizophrenia

Exploring the link between cognitive impairments and domains of function is a new trend in schizophrenia research. This study reports on the association of verbal memory impairment and initial work function for a group of 87 individuals diagnosed with either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Multiple regression analyses were used to predict the degree of association between verbal memory variables and ratings on the Work Behavior Inventory (WBI) in the initial week of a vocational rehabilitation program. Results indicated that verbal memory scores predicted 20% of the WBI total score. Results also indicated strong relationships with the individual work domains of work habits and work quality and weaker relationships with the domains of cooperativeness and personal presentation. No significant relationship was found between verbal memory variables and social skills at the job site. Verbal memory impairment is discussed as a rate limiting factor in rehabilitation.     

Equity and intrinsic motivation: The role of choice.

Research on the effects of pay on productivity and intrinsic motivation has yielded seemingly contradictory results. The "equity" literature has repeatedly found that increasing pay increases productivity (and presumably, intrinsic motivation), whereas the "insufficient/oversufficient justification" literature has found that increasing pay decreases intrinsic motivation (hence, presumably, productivity). It was hypothesized that the choice variable mediates these results. Specifically, under low choice, high pay should lead to reduced productivity or intrinsic motivation, whereas under high choice, high pay should lead to reduced productivity or intrinsic motivation. A pilot study and a subsequent experiment, both using female undergraduates, examined the effect of pay and choice on productivity or intrinsic motivation. Both studies supported these predictions. The results are discussed with regard to problems in determining the level of reward to be offered for task performance, since providing inadequate rewards may sometimes decrease, and other times increase, intrinsic motivation. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)