It's All in the Attitude: The Role of Job Attitude Strength in Job Attitude-Outcome Relationships

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Schleicher, Deidra J.; Smith, Troy A.; Casper, Wendy J.; Watt, John D.; Greguras, Gary J.
• 署名单位: Texas A&M University System; Texas A&M University College Station; University of Texas System; University of Texas Arlington; Singapore Management University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/a0038664
• 发表日期: 2015
• 页码: 1259-1274
• 关键词: job attitudes; job satisfaction; performance; OCB; attitude strength

摘要

Integrating attitude theory with the job attitudes literature, we position job attitude strength (JAS) as a missing yet important theoretical concept in the study of job attitudes. We examine JAS as a moderator of the relationship between job satisfaction and several criteria of interest to organizational scholars (job performance, organizational citizenship behavior, withdrawal). We also examine multiple relevant indicators of JAS (i.e., attitude certainty, attitude extremity, latitude of rejection, and structural consistency), both to shed light on its conceptual nature and to provide meaningful practical direction to researchers interested in incorporating JAS into job attitude research. Data were collected in five field samples (total N = 816). Results support our hypotheses: JAS moderates the relationships between job satisfaction and performance, organizational citizenship behavior, and turnover intentions; in each case, these relationships are significantly stronger for employees with stronger job satisfaction attitudes. However, as expected, not all JAS indicators are equally effective as moderators. We discuss our findings in terms of their theoretical, empirical, and practical implications for the future study of job attitudes.