Reputation as a moderator of political behavior-work outcomes relationships: A two-study investigation with convergent results.

Personal reputation has been acknowledged to have an important influence on work outcomes. However, substantive research has been relatively scarce to date. The 2-study research plan reported here supports reputation's role as a moderator of the relationships between political behavior and the work outcomes of uncertainty, emotional exhaustion, and job performance ratings (i.e., self- and supervisor report). The 1st investigation contained both a pilot study, which was undertaken to demonstrate the consistency of self- and others' perceptions of reputation, and a test of the substantive relationships. The 2nd study served as a constructive replication of the hypothesized relationships. Supporting prior research, Study 1 demonstrated that self-reports of personal reputation were significantly related to peer report. In each study, political behavior was associated with decreased uncertainty and emotional exhaustion and increased job performance ratings for individuals with a favorable reputation. Conversely, political behavior predicted increased uncertainty and emotional exhaustion and decreased job performance ratings for individuals with an unfavorable reputation. Implications of these results, strengths and limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationships between felt accountability as a stressor and strain reactions: The neutralizing role of autonomy across two studies.

Felt accountability, conceptualized as a workplace stressor, has been gaining increased attention in terms of its importance for explaining variance in work attitudes and behaviors. Building on these investigations, the present research tests in 2 studies a conceptualization that positions job autonomy as a moderator of the relationships between felt accountability and strain reactions. In Study 1, the interactions of Felt Accountability × Job Autonomy on job tension and job satisfaction were investigated. As hypothesized, the results demonstrated that autonomy neutralized the dysfunctional effects of accountability for each outcome. Study 2 extended the findings from Study 1 by replicating the form of the interactive effects, with job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion serving as strain reactions. Implications, strengths and limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Are individuals' reputations related to their history of behavior?

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 98(1) of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (see record 2009-24670-012). Coefficient alpha reliabilities for the social connectedness variable were reported as .97 and .78 in Studies 2 and 3, respectively. Instead, they should have been reported as intraclass correlations (ICC) of .87 and .74, respectively. In the original reliability analyses, the authors included self-ratings of social connectedness and thus omitted participants from the analysis who did not provide a self-rating. Similarly, the authors included self-ratings when assessing the reliability of social connectedness in an unreported classroom sample (n=36) that was collected at the same time as the data reported in Study 2. In that unreported sample, they originally obtained a coefficient that was far below satisfactory levels, leading them to exclude that data set. However, after taking out the self-ratings in that unreported sample, the ICC was .82. The erratum summarizes the correlations reported in Study 2 for the unreported and included data sets combined.] Functional theories of reputation imply that individuals' reputations are tied to their history of behavior. However, indirect evidence suggests that the relation between reputation and behavior might be tenuous at best. In 3 studies, the authors tracked the development of reputations among individuals who engaged in multiple negotiation tasks across several weeks. The authors found that on average, individuals' reputations were only mildly related to their history of behavior. However, the link between reputation and behavior was stronger for some individuals than others--specifically, for individuals who were more well-known and received more social attention in the community. In contrast, for less well-known individuals, their behavior had little impact on their reputation. The findings have implications for psychologists' understanding of reputations, person perceptions in larger groups, and the costs and benefits of social visibility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Are individuals’ reputations related to their history of behavior?": Correction to Anderson and Shirako (2008).

Reports an error in "Are individuals' reputations related to their history of behavior" by Cameron Anderson and Aiwa Shirako (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2008[Feb], Vol 94[2], 320-333). Coefficient alpha reliabilities for the social connectedness variable were reported as .97 and .78 in Studies 2 and 3, respectively. Instead, they should have been reported as intraclass correlations (ICC) of .87 and .74, respectively. In the original reliability analyses, the authors included self-ratings of social connectedness and thus omitted participants from the analysis who did not provide a self-rating. Similarly, the authors included self-ratings when assessing the reliability of social connectedness in an unreported classroom sample (n=36) that was collected at the same time as the data reported in Study 2. In that unreported sample, they originally obtained a coefficient that was far below satisfactory levels, leading them to exclude that data set. However, after taking out the self-ratings in that unreported sample, the ICC was .82. The erratum summarizes the correlations reported in Study 2 for the unreported and included data sets combined. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2008-00466-010.) Functional theories of reputation imply that individuals' reputations are tied to their history of behavior. However, indirect evidence suggests that the relation between reputation and behavior might be tenuous at best. In 3 studies, the authors tracked the development of reputations among individuals who engaged in multiple negotiation tasks across several weeks. The authors found that on average, individuals' reputations were only mildly related to their history of behavior. However, the link between reputation and behavior was stronger for some individuals than others--specifically, for individuals who were more well-known and received more social attention in the community. In contrast, for less well-known individuals, their behavior had little impact on their reputation. The findings have implications for psychologists' understanding of reputations, person perceptions in larger groups, and the costs and benefits of social visibility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Political Skill: An Antidote in the Role Overload–Strain Relationship.

Political skill is characterized by social perceptiveness and the ability to adjust one's behavior to different and changing situational needs to influence others. The authors argue that politically skilled individuals enjoy a sense of personal security that allows them to perceive interpersonal control over the process and outcomes of interpersonal interactions within organizations. The authors examine the buffering effects of political skill on the perceived role overload-strain relationship, with strain operationalized as job tension, job (dis)satisfaction, and general anxiety. Results support the hypothesized moderating effects of political skill such that greater political skill reduces the negative effects of role overload on all types of strain. The contributions and limitations of the study are discussed, as are directions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Moderating Effect of Negative Affectivity in the Procedural Justice-Job Satisfaction Relation.

We examined the potential moderating effect of negative affectivity in the relation between perceptions of procedural justice and job satisfaction in two studies. In the first study, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 232 individuals working for a Canadian public-sector organization that was being partially privatized. In the second study, we conducted a two-wave panel study of 173 university students participating in a co-operative education work term. In both studies, we found that the relation between procedural justice and job satisfaction was stronger for those who were low in negative affectivity than for those who were high in negative affectivity. These findings support the notion that employee dispositions influence the manner in which organizational factors are perceived. In addition, these findings suggest that fair procedures do not uniformly result in positive organizational outcomes (i.e., job satisfaction). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The interactive effects of positive affect and conscientiousness on strain.

The purpose of our study was to more fully investigate a combination of personal resources, namely positive affect (PA) and conscientiousness, on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and job tension. We examined a sample of nurses employed by a metropolitan hospital and found that the combination of high positive affect and high levels of conscientiousness was associated with lower levels of all strain variables. Our findings suggested that conscientiousness strengthened the negative relationship between PA and job strain. Our results were consistent with the view that some dispositions can act as resources protecting individuals from experienced stress. Implications of these results, strengths and limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in newcomer job satisfaction over time: Examining the pattern of honeymoons and hangovers.

In this study, the authors contribute insight into the temporal nature of work attitudes, examining how job satisfaction changes across the 1st year of employment for a sample of organizational newcomers. The authors examined factors related to job change (i.e., voluntary turnover, prior job satisfaction) and newcomer experiences (i.e., fulfillment of commitments, extent of socialization) that may strengthen or weaken the job satisfaction pattern. Results of a study of 132 newcomers with data collected at 4 unique time periods show a complex curvilinear pattern of job satisfaction, such that satisfaction reached a peak following organizational entry and decreased thereafter. However, examination of moderating factors revealed that individuals who reported less satisfaction with their prior job and those having more positive experiences on the new job, such as greater fulfilled commitments and a higher degree of socialization, were most likely to experience this pattern. Findings from this study offer important implications for theory and research on changes in newcomer attitudes over time as well as practical insight on key factors that shape the pattern of job attitudes as individuals enter and experience a new workplace. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Affect and Job Satisfaction: A Study of Their Relationship at Work and at Home.

The authors investigated 2 broad issues: (a) across- and within-individual relationships between mood and job satisfaction and (b) spillover in moods experienced at work and at home. Using an experience-sampling methodology, they collected multisource data from a sample of 74 working individuals. Multilevel results revealed that job satisfaction affected positive mood after work and that the spillover of job satisfaction onto positive and negative mood was stronger for employees high in trait-positive and trait-negative affectivity, respectively. Results also revealed that the effect of mood at work on job satisfaction weakened as the time interval between the measurements increased. Finally, positive (negative) moods at work affected positive (negative) moods experienced later at home. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A meta-analysis of realistic job preview experiments.

Conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of 21 realistic job preview (RJP) experiments. Eight attitudinal or behavioral criteria were used to assess the effects of RJPs, and for 4 of these, the variance around the mean effect size could be explained methodologically as a result of sampling error, differences among studies in measurement reliability, or as a result of a single outlier study. Only 1 moderator was found, with the type of medium used to present the RJP moderating the RJP/performance relation. Considering all 8 criteria together, the average amount of variance attributable to sampling error alone is 74.2%. Thus, recent speculation about the possible moderating effects of personal or situational variables seems unwarranted. The direction of the effects was generally consistent with previous thinking. That is, RJPs tended to lower initial job expectations while increasing self-selection, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, performance, and job survival. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Orientations toward personnel selection: Differential reliance on appearance and personality.

In two studies we examined the hypothesis that the psychological construct of self-monitoring would identify people who adopt distinctly different strategies in personnel selection. In both experiments, undergraduates examined information about the physical appearance and personalities of two applicants for a specific job and then decided which applicant should receive a job offer. In Study 1, information about the applicants' physical attractiveness and job-appropriate dispositions was varied. In Study 2, job appropriateness of the applicants' physical appearance and of their personalities were both varied. In each study, high self-monitoring individuals placed greater weight on information about physical appearance than did low self-monitoring individuals. By contrast, low self-monitoring individuals put greater weight on information about personal dispositions than did high self-monitoring individuals. We discuss the implications for understanding personnel selection as well as for decision making in interpersonal contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of Interorganizational Teamwork on Project Outcome

Many empirical studies have examined factors leading to project success, and project participants' satisfaction on project performance. However, few of them reported how the participants felt about their jobs in the projects. This study aimed to explore the relationships among overall project performance, interorganization teamwork, project participants' job satisfaction, and their personal views on the design∕build (D∕B) procurement method. Bivariate correlation analysis of data provided by 53 participants of public-sector projects through a questionnaire survey was conducted. The findings reveal that if interorganizational teamwork is fostered in D∕B projects, (1) successful project performance could result; (2) project participants would develop a positive view of the D∕B procurement method; and (3) their job satisfaction would be higher. Researchers and practitioners are advised to focus not only on the functional aspects of project performance, but also on the human aspects. More empirical studies on interorganizational teamwork should be undertaken.     

Total life stress: A multimethod validation of the construct and its effects on organizationally valued outcomes and withdrawal behaviors.

Measured the construct of total life stress using an 83-item checklist with 282 full-time, white collar administrative, health care, and clerical personnel working for 5 organizations (mean ages 37.45, 37.74, 36.15, 35.04, and 43.71 yrs). Checklist items concerned stressful job and personal life events. Regression analyses predicted 6 different organizational outcomes using the constructs of job stress, personal life stress, and total life stress, respectively. Greater understanding of the effects of stress was achieved when researchers recognized the separate effects of positive vs negative stress and considered the employee in a holistic perspective by taking into account the combined effects of job stress and personal life stress on employee well-being. Results provide evidence for the convergent validity of the total life stress construct as measured separately by its 2 components, total positive and total negative life stress. (52 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relief from job stressors and burnout: Reserve service as a respite.

To reveal the ameliorative impact of being away from job stressors on burnout, we compared 81 men who were called for active reserve service with 81 matched controls in the same company who were not called during the same period. Each reservist and his control completed questionnaires shortly before the reservist left work for a stint of service and immediately on his return. Analysis of variance detected a significant decline in job stress and burnout among those who served and no change among the control participants. Among those who served, quality of reserve service and degree of psychological detachment from work interacted in moderating the respite effects; the greater the detachment, the stronger the effect positive reserve service experience had in relieving reservists from stress and burnout. Reserve service is discussed as a special case of stress-relieving get-away from work that may be experienced as an ameliorative respite akin to vacation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Service with a smile: Do emotional intelligence, gender, and autonomy moderate the emotional labor process?

This survey study of 176 participants from eight customer service organizations investigated how individual factors moderate the impact of emotional labor strategies on employee well-being. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that gender and autonomy were significant moderators of the relationships between emotional labor strategies and the personal outcomes of emotional exhaustion, affective well-being, and job satisfaction. Females were more likely to experience negative consequences when engaging in surface acting. Autonomy served to alleviate negative outcomes for individuals who used emotional labor strategies often. Contrary to our hypotheses, emotional intelligence did not moderate the relationship between the emotional labor strategies and personal outcomes. Results demonstrated how the emotional labor process can influence employee well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative effects of personal and situational influences on job outcomes of new professionals.

We investigated the relative and combined effects of personal and situational variables on job outcomes of new professionals. The personal variables were cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and career goals; the situational variables were job feedback, autonomy, and job context. Data were collected at two times from 280 newly hired, entry-level accountants at "Big Eight" firms. Both personal and situational variables predict job outcomes, but their relative influence depends on the outcome measure. Situational variables account for the most variance in job performance, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment; personal variables account for the most variance in promotability, internal work motivation, and turnover. The findings indicate that job performance does not take care of itself by selecting bright people, but requires constant vigilance and effective systems. The results also suggest that a given result can be achieved through a variety of behavioral science interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in children's altruistic behavior and reputations for helpfulness.

Examined sex differences in altruism by administering reputation and behavioral measures to 279 5th and 6th graders. Ss' reputations for altruism were assessed with teacher ratings and a classroom sociometric task. Altruistic behavior was measured with 6 classroom tasks that provided Ss with opportunities to help other Ss. Girls scored significantly higher than did boys on both reputation tasks and on a composite reputation score. Girls also scored significantly higher than did boys on 2 of the behavioral tasks and on the composite behavioral measure. Thus, although girls were perceived as much more helpful than boys, the behavioral differences were of a lesser magnitude. Results replicate closely those reported by H. Hartshorne et al (1929). (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of accent as a work stressor on attitudinal and health-related work outcomes.

Previous research has indicated that perceived discrimination can be a powerful work stressor influencing employees' outcomes beyond well-documented work stressors such as role ambiguity and role conflict. However, the incremental predictive validity of perceived discrimination based on foreign accent as a work stressor remains poorly understood. It was proposed that perceived discrimination based on accent influences employee outcomes such as job satisfaction and work tension above and beyond role ambiguity and role conflict. Data from 114 Hispanic employees who speak English with an accent supported this prediction. The moderating roles of group identity, self-efficacy, and perceived control in the process were examined. None of the proposed coping mechanism buffered the impact of perceived discrimination based on accent on employee outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chronic and acute stressors among military personnel: Do coping styles buffer their negative impact on health?

This study examined the moderating impact of positive and negative coping styles on the relationship of acute and chronic job stressors with self-reported health symptoms of 521 military personnel. The number of acute work-related events was associated with a high frequency of self-reported symptoms. Similarly, role ambiguity, overload, and lack of job stimulation were associated with increased symptoms. Only the negative coping styles (i.e., venting of negative emotions and denial/disengagement) were uniquely associated with symptoms. Only 5 of the 13 proposed Stressor?×?Coping interactions were significant, and they all involved the negative coping styles. That is, instead of alleviating the negative outcomes of work stressors, these coping styles were associated with high strain, regardless of the amount of stressor, and, in some cases, these coping styles exacerbated the negative effect of the stressor on the strain outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)