ENVIRONMENTAL AND INTRAPERSONAL PREDICTORS OF REACTIONS TO POTENTIAL TERRITORIAL INTRUSIONS IN THE WORKPLACE

In a study of workplace territoriality, environmental and intrapersona l factors were posited to be predictive of workers' reactions to poten tial workspace invasions. Clerical and secretarial workers from two mi dsize universities and from four small nonuniversity workplaces (combi ned into one sample) completed a questionnaire regarding reactions to potential workspace invasions. Results from regression analyses indica ted that for all three samples, predictors of negative reactions to po tential workspace invasions were (a) the degree to which workers minde d talking directions about their jobs from someone other than a superv isor and (b) sensitivity to personal space invasions in general. In ad dition, resistance to a permanent workspace change predicted invasion reactions for both university groups, whereas having fewer co-workers sharing an office predicted invasion reactions for nonuniversity worke rs. Results are discussed in terms of control models of territoriality . Application of the results to workplace settings is also briefly dis cussed.