Do politics perceptions relate to political behaviors? Tests of an implicit assumption and expanded model

This study examined perceived political behaviors as a critical, yet largel y overlooked, component in the traditional organizational politics percepti ons model. Further this study developed an expanded version of the traditio nal antecedents to politics perceptions and examined the mediating effect o f perceptions of politics in the model. Results from 260 full-time employee s suggested that the use of reactive/defensive political behaviors exacerba ted the already negative effects of perceived organizational politics on ou tcomes. Further, the set of variables that come from the job/work environme nt were found to explain more variance in perceptions of organizational pol itics than the set of organizational or individual variables. Finally, perc eptions of politics demonstrated mediation effects between the antecedent v ariables and job satisfaction, job anxiety, and intent to turnover: Discuss ion centers around the expanded model and the need to conceptually and empi rically link politics perceptions with political behaviors.