PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Christopher Stevens

Industrial/Organizational
December 2003

Perceptions of the Work Environment: Role of Negative Affectivity and Spiritual Beliefs

    This study was proposed to investigate the effects of trait negative affectivity (NA) and spiritual beliefs on perceived role ambiguity and role conflict at work.

    Ninety police officers employed for a large-sized city on the West Coast comprised the sample.  Two published scales measured NA and role ambiguity/role conflict.  A scale created for the study assessed spiritual beliefs.  Correlational analyses ascertained the relationships between NA and each of the occupational stressors, and each of the occupational stressors and spiritual beliefs.  Moderated regression analyses ascertained the effect of spiritual beliefs on the relationships between NA and role ambiguity/role conflict.

    Results show that NA is related to perceived role ambiguity and role conflict, providing support for the dispositional theory of work attitudes.  Spiritual beliefs were negatively related to NA, suggesting that NA may be further conceptualized as a concomitant lack of spiritual orientation.

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