Abstract

Four hundred thirteen postal employees were surveyed to investigate reciprocation's role in the relationships of perceived organizational support (POS) with employees' affective organizational commitment and job performance. The authors found that (a) POS was positively related to employees' felt obligation to care about the organization's welfare and to help the organization reach its objectives; (b) felt obligation mediated the associations of POS with affective commitment, organizational spontaneity, and in-role performance; and (c) the relationship between POS and felt obligation increased with employees' acceptance of the reciprocity norm as applied to work organizations. Positive mood also mediated the relationships of POS with affective commitment and organizational spontaneity. The pattern of findings is consistent with organizational support theory's assumption that POS strengthens affective commitment and performance by a reciprocation process.

Keywords

ObligationOrganizational commitmentPerceived organizational supportPsychologySocial psychologyReciprocity (cultural anthropology)Affective events theoryNorm of reciprocityNorm (philosophy)Job satisfactionJob performanceJob attitudeSociology

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Publication Info

Year
2001
Type
article
Volume
86
Issue
1
Pages
42-51
Citations
2716
Access
Closed

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Robert Eisenberger, Stephen Armeli, Barbara Rexwinkel et al. (2001). Reciprocation of perceived organizational support.. Journal of Applied Psychology , 86 (1) , 42-51. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.86.1.42

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DOI
10.1037/0021-9010.86.1.42