Publication Date

Fall 2013

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Megumi Hosoda

Subject Areas

Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between future work selves and work-related outcomes such as proactive career behaviors, self-development organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), and work engagement. Future work self salience was used to capture employee work selves that could be easily and clearly recalled into memory. An additional purpose of the current study was to examine whether perceived supervisor support would moderate each of the three relationships. A total of 123 employees participated. Future work self salience was positively related to proactive career behaviors, self-development OCBs, and work engagement. Furthermore, perceived supervisor support was found to moderate the relationship between future work self salience and work engagement such that there was a stronger relationship when employees perceived higher levels of supervisor support. Findings from the current study suggest that employees take the initiative to develop their careers and skills in order to achieve their ideal work selves and, in doing so, they experience higher levels of work engagement. Supervisor support in helping employees attain their future work selves is an important resource for them to engage in these proactive behaviors. Additionally, perceived supervisor support is responsible for increasing the extent to which employees with salient future work selves have higher levels of work engagement.

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