Extraversion Impacts Work-family Enrichment via Multiple Pathways: A Multilevel Diary Study

• Main Authors: PADDOCK, Elizabeth Layne, SMITH, C. Veronica, BAGGER, Jessica A., WEBSTER, Gregory D.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2011
• Subjects: Human Resources Management
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/3387; https://www.paredix.com/cwf2011/index.php/IV/current/paper/view/117
• Institution: Singapore Management University

We assess work-family enrichment pathways, providing a day-level investigation of Self-Determination Theory’s (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985) need fulfillment as a direct and indirect antecedent of family satisfaction. Work-family researchers have largely ignored the role of motivation (Deutsch, 2006). However, existing research suggests needs should matter. SDT proposes the fulfillment of three types of needs – competence, autonomy, and relatedness – is essential for personal well-being. Recent theoretical research explains two possible mechanisms by which work impacts family positively; Greenhaus and Powell (2006) define two enrichment pathways, including direct (instrumental) and indirect (affective) pathways. Specifically, they propose a direct, “instrumental” path between experiences and resources generated in a role (e.g., work) and performance in another role (e.g., home). Based on this we propose a direct relationship between SDT need satisfaction (at work) and family satisfaction (at home). They also propose an intra-domain affective pathway in which individuals’ receipt of resources in one domain (e.g., work) results in positive affect in that same domain (work), which then may spillover into another domain (home). Based on this, we propose positive affect (at work and then at home) as mediators of the direct relationship. See Figure 1 for this day-level model. In addition to assessing the mechanisms by which enrichment occurs we investigate employees’ extraversion as a moderator. Based on recent psychophysiological research, and the arousal hypothesis (Eysenck, 1967) specifically, we propose extraverted individuals’ positive affect may not be as impacted by SDT need fulfillment as introverts’ positive affect is. Further, we assess extraversion as a moderator of pathway usage, testing the hypothesis that introverts should evidence greater use of the direct pathway and lesser use of the affective pathway than extraverts.