THE ROLE OF DISPOSITIONAL AND SITUATIONAL ANTECEDENTS IN PROSOCIAL ORGANIZATIONAL-BEHAVIOR - AN EXAMINATION OF THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR

Research has not adequately separated the factors responsible for pros ocial behaviors intended to benefit specific individuals from those in tended to benefit an organization. Antecedents of the behavior of 100 secretaries were examined as a function of the beneficiary of the beha vior. The value of concern for others and empathy explained significan t variance in prosocial behaviors directed only at specific individual s (prosocial individual behavior). Perceptions of reward equity and re cognition explained significant variance in behaviors directed only at the organization (prosocial organizational behavior). With these effe cts removed, the relationship between job satisfaction and prosocial o rganizational behavior was no longer significant, whereas the relation ship between job satisfaction and prosocial individual behavior remain ed significant. Results suggest that the psychological processes that underlie prosocial behavior are different depending on the beneficiary of the behavior.