A dynamic investigation of person-group fit : temporal perspectives & work-based affect

This dissertation focuses on perceived person group (PG) fit, conceptualized as congruence on two temporal variables that are pervasive in the modern working environment: polychronicity and hurriedness. PG fit is theorized to be a dynamic construct that changes over time, and work-based affect is proposed to drive these changes in perceived fit. The dissertation utilized longitudinal methodologies, multilevel polynomial regression analysis, as well as competing hypothesis to explore (a) work-based affect as an outcome of PG fit, (b) work-based affect as an antecedent to PG fit, and (c) group satisfaction and helping behaviors as outcomes to PG fit. Non-traditional congruence based relationships were found between perceived fit on hurriedness and positive affect as well as helping behaviors, where positive affect was highest for hurried individuals who worked in hurried teams, and helping behaviors were found to be highest when the group was perceived to be more hurried than the individual. A non-traditional congruence based relationship was also found between perceived fit on polychronicity and helping behaviors, where helping behaviors were highest when individual’s polychronic preferences differed from the perceived group. Positive affect was found to be an intra-individual driver to changes towards fit on hurriedness, while negative affect was found to drive changes away from fit on polychronicity. These results suggest that individuals actively manage PG fit. This is the first empirical investigation which explicitly examines whether the affective consistency perspective or the hedonistic perspective explain why affect drives changes fit. In general the results support the affective consistency perspective. Important implications and limitations are discussed to continue the development of this stream of research. Finally, affect did not mediate the relationship between perceived fit at time one, and later instances of fit.Doctor of Philosophy (NBS