Graduation Year

2009

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Granting Department

Psychology

Major Professor

Russell E. Johnson, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Chu-Hsiang Chang, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Stephen Stark, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jennifer Bosson, Ph.D.

Keywords

Supervisor Commitment, Coworker Commitment, Multiple Commitments, Commitment Foci, Organizational Commitment, Three-component model

Abstract

Recent studies indicate that employees distinguish between commitments to interpersonal foci within the organization, such as supervisors and coworkers. Often, these commitments account for variance in outcomes incremental to organizational commitment (e.g., Becker, 1992). Unfortunately, research has tended to focus on affective forms of commitment to foci, while ignoring normative and continuance commitment. To address this gap, the current study proposed and tested models of commitment to foci which incorporate normative and continuance commitment in addition to affective commitment. Results showed some parallels with findings concerning organizational commitment. Much like organizational commitment, support from a focus relates to affective commitment to that focus, while expectations from a focus predict normative commitment to the focus. Additionally, both affective and normative commitment to supervisors and coworkers predicted favorable outcomes, but continuance commitment did not. In line with researchers recommendations (e.g., Johnson, Groff & Taing, in press), interactions among different bases and foci of commitment were also examined. Exploratory analyses suggested a three-way interaction between affective organizational, supervisor, and coworker commitment for predicting in-role performance.

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