Religious involvement and dispositional characteristics as predictors of work attitudes and behaviors

The purpose of this dissertation was to empirically examine the effects of (1) religious involvement on job attitudes, (2) dispositions on job attitudes, and (3) religious involvement on workplace behaviors. This study also assessed whether job attitudes mediated the effect of religious involvement an workplace behaviors or the interaction effect of religious involvement and dispositional characteristics on workplace behaviors. Higher levels of religious involvement were hypothesized to lead to more positive work attitudes and behaviors. Conservative and self-transcendent values along with positive well-being were expected to lead to positive attitudes at work. The effect of religious involvement on work behaviors and the interactive effect of religious involvement and dispositions on work behaviors were hypothesized to be mediated by job attitudes. The sample for this dissertation was drawn from two organizations including a rehabilitation hospital and an automotive parts distributor. Employee and supervisor questionnaires were distributed in conjunction with payroll checks and were returned through the mail. Two waves of questionnaires produced a total of 113 employee and 22 supervisor surveys. The response rates were 30 percent for the non-supervisory employees and 55 percent for the supervisors. Hierarchical regression analysis and mediated regression analysis were employed to test the hypotheses. The results provided partial support for the hypotheses. An extrinsic-personal religious orientation was positively associated with job involvement. Stimulation and self-direction values were negatively associated with job involvement and organizational commitment. Also, a positive relationship was found between benevolence and job involvement, and an extrinsic-personal religious orientation was found to be positively associated with in-role and extra-role behavior that benefited the organization. Finally, some support was found for a mediation effect. An extrinsic-personal religious orientation interacted with both positive affect and life satisfaction to lessen turnover intentions through job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job involvement. Managerial implications of these findings along with contributions to the management literature are discussed. Suggestions for future research are also provided for academicians