PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Catherine Grimes
Industrial/Organizational
August 2002

Socialization of Newcomers: An Investigation of Tactic Use and Related Outcomes

    Research exploring areas of socialization of newcomers has traditionally focused on newcomers’ development of preentry expectations and reactions to their experiences when their anticipated expectations are not met.  One of the newest areas of investigation in socialization research is the newcomer’s communication behavior in seeking information, specifically communication apprehension.  Specific socialization tactics used to initiate and train a newcomer at organizational entry may have different impacts on levels of task mastery, role clarification, acculturation, social integration, and overall job satisfaction after the socialization process has been conducted.

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether communication apprehension moderates the relationship between tactic process and socialization outcomes.  It was concluded that a newcomer’s level of communication apprehension, coupled with the type of socialization tactic experienced, can predict increased outcomes of role clarity, social integration, acculturation and job satisfaction, which may have beneficial impacts on employee retention.

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