1 / 10

Environmental and Genetic Components of Job Satisfaction

Environmental and Genetic Components of Job Satisfaction. Arvey et al.’s (1989) study. Stable individual differences in job satisfaction Staw & Ross (1985) Temperament could influence job attitudes by affecting the input, recall, and interpretation of information from work situations

bluma
Download Presentation

Environmental and Genetic Components of Job Satisfaction

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Environmental and Genetic Components of Job Satisfaction

  2. Arvey et al.’s (1989) study • Stable individual differences in job satisfaction • Staw & Ross (1985) • Temperament could influence job attitudes by affecting the input, recall, and interpretation of information from work situations • Arvey et al. predict that genetic factors influence job attitudes (esp. for more intrinsic aspects of job satisfaction)

  3. Method • 34 pairs of monozygotic (MZA) twins reared apart from an early age • Mean separation age = .45 years (SD = .79) • Mean age of reunion = 31.71 years (SD = 15.77) • Mean age at participation = 41.88 years (SD = 12.03) • Rationale: • MZA reared apart share the same genetic structure but not the same family environment • Thus, similarities should be due to genetics • Measures: • Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (short form) • Responded based on the job that they considered to be “major” • Single-item measure of overall job satisfaction • DOT ratings of job characteristics • Used intraclass correlation for analyses

  4. Findings • JS ICCs • ICC = .309 for MJSQ general satisfaction • ICC = .166 (n.s.) for 1-item JS measure • ICC = .315 for MJSQ intrinsic satisfaction • ICC = .109 for for MJSQ extrinsic satisfaction • Job conditions ICCs • ICC = .443 for complexity • ICC = .356 for motor skills • ICC = .338 for physical demands • ICC was n.s. for working conditions • Job conditions partialed from JS scores • ICC = .289 for MJSQ general satisfaction

  5. Implications • “First, it appears that the organization may have somewhat less ‘control’ over job satisfaction than is commonly believed, particularly with respect to intrinsic satisfaction.” • “A second implication of this research is that prediction of future job satisfaction or dissatisfaction with a different job may be possible from knowledge of current satisfaction”

  6. Reply by Cropanzano & James (1990) • Identify possible validity threats based on Cook and Campbell criteria: • Statistical conclusion validity • Appropriateness of interpretation of statistical results • Internal validity • Can causal statements be made? • External validity • Can results be generalized beyond the sample? • Construct validity • Appropriateness of inferences made from test scores to constructs of interest

  7. Statistical Conclusion Validity Threats • Range restriction problem • If environment is identical, you would find large genetic effects • If environments are completely different and genetics are identical, you would find large environmental effects • Need to understand environments of MZA twins • MZA twins tend to be from poor families (before and after separation) • Distortions in correlations from genotype-environment correlations

  8. Internal Validity Threats • Alternative conclusions: • Negative affect could relate to more extreme self-reports of JS • JS may result from genetic influences on height and attractiveness • Non-genetic causes of MZA similarity • Similar environments prior to separation • Similar post-separation environments • Similar appearance of twins

  9. External Validity Threats • Sample similar to other MZAs? • MZA similar to everyone else? • womb differences between twins and singletons • MZA and SES and JS • more likely to be left-handed; emotional reactions related to right hemisphere

  10. Construct Validity Threats • Arvey et al. assume that inherited JS is not malleable • Consistency of JS over time and jobs does not indicate that • Heritability estimates can change • .30 does not imply that only 70% variance in JS can change

More Related