Suzy Fox

An emotion-centered model of voluntary work behavior: Some parallels between counterproductive work behavior and organizational citizenship behavior

Abstract We present a model that integrates findings from several areas to explain in parallel the voluntary acts of counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). CWB is behavior, such as aggression or sabotage, intended to hurt the organization or its employees. OCB is prosocial behavior intended to help. A variety of job/organizational conditions (constraints on performance, job stressors, injustice, or violation of psychological contract) will elicit emotional reactions. Negative emotion will tend to increase the likelihood of CWB and positive emotion will increase the likelihood of OCB. CWB is associated with the personality characteristics of trait anger and anxiety, locus of control, and delinquency. OCB is associated with empathy and perceived ability to help. We discuss how management of emotion-eliciting conditions and events can help control voluntary behavior in a way that leads to both employee and organization well-being.

Using the Job-related Affective Well-being Scale (JAWS) to investigate affective responses to work stressors

Prior research linking job stressors to psychological strains has been limited to a small number of emotional reactions. This article describes research linking job stressors to a wide range of affective states at work. In Study 1, a multidimensional scaling procedure was used on a matrix of similarity judgments by 51 employees of 56 job-related affective statements to support a 2-dimensional view of affective well-being. In Study 2, ratings of the affect statements by 100 employees further supported the contention that the dimensions were pleasure-displeasure and degree of arousal. In Study 3, 114 full-time university employees responded to the Job-Related Affective Well-Being Scale, which was found to be related to measures of job stressors as well as job satisfaction and physical symptoms.

Relations of emotional intelligence, practical intelligence, general intelligence, and trait affectivity with interview outcomes: it's not all just ‘G’

Emotional intelligence was conceptualized as competencies that may enable people to use emotions advantageously to achieve desired outcomes. Measures of three components of emotional intelligence (empathy, self-regulation of mood, and self-presentation) as well as affective traits (positive and negative affectivity) and general and practical intelligence were related to a major facet of work success, job interview performance. A sample of 116 undergraduates participated in a simulated job selection experience, consisting of paper and pencil tests and a videotaped structured interview. Results partially supported the proposed model. Some but not all of the affect and ability measures were related to interview outcomes, both directly and mediated by the interviewers affective response (perceived similarity and liking). In addition to measures of emotional intelligence, measures of general and practical intelligence were associated with interview outcomes, but the orthogonality of IQ and the major emotion variables argue for the unique contributions of emotional intelligence and trait affect to interview success. Copyright

Building an integrative model of extra role work behaviors: A comparison of counterproductive work behavior with organizational citizenship behavior

Researchers have recently drawn attention to performance elements that extend beyond task performance (often labeled as organizational citizenship behavior, or OCB). A second stream of research concerns detrimental, potentially destructive acts that hurt colleagues or organizations (labeled counterproductive work behavior, or CWB). Spector and Fox (in press) have proposed a model based upon conceptual parallels that may help connect these two disparate fields of research, using positive and negative emotions as intermediary variables between environmental conditions and extra-role work behaviors. The current study tested portions of the overall model, and found reasonable support for the components. Suggestions for further research designed to test the overall model are presented.

Measurement artifacts in the assessment of counterproductive work behavior and organizational citizenship behavior: Do we know what we think we know

An experiment investigated whether measurement features affected observed relationships between counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and their relationships with other variables. As expected, correlations between CWB and OCB were significantly higher with ratings of agreement rather than frequency of behavior, when OCB scale content overlapped with CWB than when it did not, and with supervisor rather than self-ratings. Relationships with job satisfaction and job stressors were inconsistent across conditions. We concluded that CWB and OCB are likely unrelated and not necessarily oppositely related to other variables. Researchers should avoid overlapping content in CWB and OCB scales and should use frequency formats to assess how often individuals engage in each form of behavior.

The role of negative affectivity in employee reactions to job characteristics: Bias effect or substantive effect?

The hypothesized role of the personality trait negative affectivity (NA) in employee reactions to jobs has been debated in recent years. Some researchers have argued that this dispositional variable biases self-reports of job-related variables, whereas others have argued that its role is substantive in that NA might affect or be affected by job variables. This study tested competing hypotheses concerning relations of two measures of NA with both incumbent and non-incumbent measures. Results supported the substantive and not the bias hypothesis: NA correlated significantly with non-incumbent, but not with incumbent, measures of job characteristics.

The battered apple: An application of stressor-emotion-control/support theory to teachers' experience of violence and bullying

This study looked at factors that moderate responses to violence, bullying, and other stressors among public school teachers in the US. Grounded in stressor-emotion-control/ support (SEC/S) theory, the study emphasized the relevance of specific forms of control and support to specific stressors in analyzing moderation effects. A total of 779 teachers completed an online survey of their perceptions of their work environments. Pervasive bullying and violent acts were associated with strains in zero-order correlations, but when regressed, pervasive bullying rather than violence was associated with strains. Relations between violent acts and strains were moderated by satisfaction with the administrations’ handling of violent acts.This has important implications for the development of public and educational policy. Finally, co-worker social support interacted with supervisory/principal bullying, but, contrary to expectations, showed a reverse buffering effect.

Exploring career‐life success and family social support of successful women in Canada, Argentina and Mexico

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine career‐life issues of successful women in the Americas.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 30 interviews were conducted with successful women in Canada, Argentina and Mexico. Themes were pulled from the interview transcripts for each country, analyzed and then compared across countries, looking at universalities and differences of experiences.Findings – The women in all three countries conveyed more subjective measures of career success, such as contributing to society and learning in their work, with Canada and Mexico particularly emphasizing receiving recognition as a hallmark of career success.Practical implications – This research provides insight into the experiences of successful women in the Americas, which can inform the career development of women in business.Originality/value – This research contributes to the literature on womens careers, highlighting successful womens experiences across cultures and in an under‐researched area: Latin Ame...

The Many Roles of Control in a Stressor-Emotion Theory of Counterproductive Work Behavior

The Stressor-Emotion model of counterproductive work behavior (CWB) is based on prevalent approaches to emotions, the stress process in general and job stress in particular. The sense of control is key to the appraised coping capacity. A combination of perceived stressors and insufficient control is likely to trigger negative emotions, which in turn increase the likelihood the employee will engage in CWB, which we view as a special case of behavioral strain. We highlight the centrality of several conceptualizations of control in theories of general stress, work stress, and CWB. A critical concern is the paucity of empirical support for the interactive stressor-control effects posited by models at all three levels of stress theory.

Career success and satisfaction: a comparative study in nine countries

Purpose – This project aims to examine levels of career and life satisfaction among successful women in nine countries in the Americas.Design/methodology/approach – A structured survey and in‐depth interviews were used, and a variety of occupations, demographics, and personality characteristics assessed – 1,146 successful women from nine countries in the USA responded the survey: 105 from Argentina, 210 from Brazil, 199 from Canada, 84 from Chile, 232 from Mexico, 126 from the USA, and 190 from three countries in the West Indies (Barbados, Jamaica, SVG).Findings – Results show no differences in satisfaction based on occupation or country and most demographic variables investigated did not have a significant relationship with satisfaction. Age had a small, significant, relationship, with satisfaction increasing with age; married women were significantly more satisfied than single women. Higher scores on self efficacy and need for achievement, and a greater internal locus of control were all related to high...