Ding-Yu Jiang

Individualism-collectivism as Descriptive Norms Development of a Subjective Norm Approach to Culture Measurement

The development and validation of a new instrument for measuring the descriptive norms related to individualism-collectivism (IC) is presented. IC is conceptualized as a group- specific unidimensional cultural construct with four defining attributes (Triandis, 1995). Three studies are reported showing the dimensionality and validities at individual and cultural levels across samples from 11 cultures. The new instrument has good statistical properties with iden- tical structures at the individual and cultural level, good reliabilities at the individual level, adequate agreement within cultures, and demonstrates first signs of convergent and discriminant validity. Correlations at the cultural level also indicate that the measure has the potential to add to research by integrating previously untapped attributes of IC. Finally, normative IC explains variance in self-reported behavior over and above self-referenced IC. Implications and opportunities for norm-oriented research and scale refinement are discussed.

Cross-Cultural Validation of Fear of Happiness Scale Across 14 National Groups

A survey of the cultural notions related to happiness and the existing empirical evidence indicate that some individuals endorse the belief that happiness, particularly an immoderate degree of it, should be avoided. These beliefs mainly involve the general notion that happiness may lead to bad things happening. Using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and multilevel modeling, this study investigates the measurement invariance, cross-level isomorphism, predictive validity, and nomological network of the fear of happiness scale across 14 nations. The results show that this scale has good statistical properties at both individual and cultural levels. The findings also indicate that this scale has the potential to add to the knowledge about how people conceive of, and experience, happiness across cultures.

Cultural uncertainty as moderator of the organizational formalization puzzle

Examining the complex role of formalization within a globalized context, we develop and test a new multi-level theory to address the positive and negative effects of formalization on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). We review classic assumptions of culture-fit theories that argue that organizational practices are most effective if they match the larger technological and cultural context. We argue that there is a complex dynamic in that formalization has negative associations with OCB in national contexts that are relatively certain but positive associations with OCB in contexts of higher environmental uncertainty. A three-level hierarchical linear modeling analysis of data from 7,537 employees in 267 organizations across 17 countries supports our hypotheses. In nations with greater levels of uncertainty, formalization is positively associated with voice OCB. Effects on helping are more complex and appear masked by other culture-level dimensions. Our findings emphasize the need for further study of the dynamics between national contexts, organizational cultures and individual behavior.

Understanding Attraction in Formal Mentoring Relationships from an Affective Perspective

Despite the critical role affect can play in mentoring, a type of close relationships in the workplace, affect has not received much attention in the extant mentoring research. Drawing upon Byrne’s affect-centered model of attraction, we examined the relationships among mentors’ moods during their interaction with proteges, mentors’ liking of proteges, and mentoring support proteges receive. Moreover, we also examined the moderating role of proteges’ emotional intelligence (EI) in the relationship between moods and liking. Based on data collected from 237 ongoing formal mentoring dyads, we found that mentors’ positive moods were positively related, and negative moods were negatively related, to mentoring support received through mentors’ liking. Furthermore, proteges’ EI only moderated the positive relationship between mentors’ positive moods and liking such that the positive relationship was stronger for proteges low on EI. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.