| This dissertation examines the validity of three assumptions that are central to the job attitude literature: the distinction among attitudinal/evaluative constructs, the value of the use of facet scores, and the mediational nature of job attitudes. Study 1 uses meta-analytic data to examine the discriminant validity of four frequently examined constructs that are related to employees' attitudes toward and evaluations of their job situations: justice perceptions, perceived organizational support, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Study 2 uses meta-analytic data and primary data to examine the validity of the Three-Component Model of Organizational Commitment. Study 3 uses a large primary data set to examine whether job attitudes function as mediators of the relationships between personological and situational antecedents and volitional workplace behaviors. Results of Study 1 suggest that the discriminant validity of the four attitudinal constructs is low. The four constructs (and their facets) load onto a single-factor and provide little incremental validity over each other in predicting three important workplace outcomes: job performance, citizenship behavior, and turnover intentions. Further, the pattern of meta-analytic inter-correlations do not support the temporal order of the four constructs that is implicit in the organizational literature: justice perceptions → POS → job satisfaction → organizational commitment. Results from Study 2 find little empirical support for the Three-Component Model of Organizational Commitment. Two of the commitment types, normative commitment and continuance commitment, explain little unique variance in antecedents, correlates, and, most importantly, consequences. Results suggest that a unidimensional approach to organizational commitment would not only be more parsimonious but would sacrifice little to no criterion relevant variance. Finally, results from Study 3 provide broad support for the assertion that job attitudes function as mediators of the relationship between antecedents and consequence and affirm the implicit position of job attitudes in the nomological network. A hierarchical model of job attitudes is proposed that is similar to the hierarchical models that characterize the ability and personality literatures. |
