Expanding the Nomological Network of Work Avoidance: Antecedents and Consequences Across Contexts. Issue 2 (3rd February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jagacinski, Carolyn M.; Kumar, Shamala; Keith, Melissa G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of experimental education. Volume 88:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 221
• Page End: 244
• Publication Date: 2020-02-03
• Subjects: Work avoidance -- mastery goals -- performance-approach goals -- performance-avoidance goals -- disengagement; Education -- Experimental methods -- Periodicals; Educational psychology -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; Psychology, Experimental -- Periodicals; 370.15
• DOI: 10.1080/00220973.2019.1635564
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0973

Abstract

Abstract: Work avoidance, or the goal to reduce effort in an achievement context, is related to disengagement and may offer insight into disengaged students and employees. To shed light on this issue, we investigated the antecedents of work avoidance in academic and work contexts to distinguish it from mastery, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance goals. Two samples of employed college students ( N = 207, N = 233) completed questionnaires about their jobs and in one sample about their introductory psychology class. Across both contexts, proposed antecedents of alienation, low need for achievement, and perceiving one's competence needs as not being met predicted work avoidance. Work avoidance also accounted for additional variance when combined with achievement goals to predict citizenship behaviors, perceiving work/classwork as meaningless and wanting to leave/quit.