Graduation Year
2004
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
M.A.
Degree Granting Department
Psychology
Major Professor
Tammy Allen, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Walter Borman, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Marcia Finkelstein, Ph.D.
Keywords
motivation, environmental support, discretionary behaviors, organizational citizenship behavior, counterproductive work behavior
Abstract
Antecedents of organizational citizenship behaviors and counterproductive work behaviors have been studied in depth, focusing on both individual differences and environmental variables. However, motivation has been largely overlooked as a contributor to these voluntary behaviors. Self-Determination Theory, a motivational framework, posits that environmental support in the form of fulfilled basic psychological needs leads to activities geared towards growth and development, whereas a lack of environmental supports thwarts these attempts towards self-growth. It is hypothesized that environmental support will account for unique variance above and beyond previously studied antecedents of voluntary workplace behaviors. This was supported using hierarchical regression. It was also hypothesized that locus of control will moderate the effect of environmental support on voluntary behaviors, such that environmental support will play a larger role in people with an external locus of control, compared to those with an internal locus of control. This was not supported using moderated regression, but the trends suggest that future research in this area may be more successful. The implications for research and practice are discussed.
Scholar Commons Citation
O'Brien, Kimberly E., "Self-Determination Theory and Locus of Control as Antecedents of Voluntary Workplace Behaviors" (2004). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/1182
