Publication Date

8-2013

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Elizabeth L. Shoenfelt (Director), Reagan D. Brown, Amber Schroeder, Andrew Mienaltowski

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) is defined as employee behavior that benefits others yet is not required by the employee’s job description. OCB can be divided into two categories: behavior that is either directed toward individuals (OCBI) or behavior that is directed toward the organization (OCBO). Researchers have posited that there are three different motives behind OCB: impression management, prosocial values, and organizational concern. Additionally, researchers have recognized the importance of coworker relationships within organizations and have suggested that the degree to which one likes his or her coworkers may serve as an additional source of motivation to engage in different types of OCB. This research consisted of two studies investigating the effect of motive and coworker liking on intention to engage in OCBO and OCBI. Participants in both studies read a vignette manipulating motive and degree of coworker liking. The second study incorporated two additional items in the manipulation check to increase the saliency of the coworker liking manipulation. In both Study 1 and Study 2 participants were more likely to engage in OCBO than in OCBI. Both studies failed to support the hypotheses that either motive or degree of liking would predict the type of OCB performed.

Disciplines

Applied Behavior Analysis | Industrial and Organizational Psychology | Multicultural Psychology | Personality and Social Contexts | Psychology

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