THE ROLE OF DISPOSITIONAL AND SITUATIONAL ANTECEDENTS IN PROSOCIAL ORGANIZATIONAL-BEHAVIOR - AN EXAMINATION OF THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Bl. Mcneely et Bm. Meglino, THE ROLE OF DISPOSITIONAL AND SITUATIONAL ANTECEDENTS IN PROSOCIAL ORGANIZATIONAL-BEHAVIOR - AN EXAMINATION OF THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR, Journal of applied psychology, 79(6), 1994, pp. 836-844
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.