Work climate and Type A status as predictors of job satisfaction: A test of the interactional perspective

Abstract The present study investigated whether Type A status interacted with individual perceptions of work climate in predicting the job satisfaction of a national sample (n = 1104) of accountants. Results from hierarchial regression analyses indicated that Type A significantly interacted with the Litwin and Stringer (1968) organizational climate factors of Risk and Pressure-Standards in predicting intrinsic job satisfaction. However, the effect sizes for these interactions were less than one-half percent, thus demonstrating little practical significance. A main effect for Type A was also significant, with Type As reporting higher intrinsic satisfaction than Type Bs. No Type A effect was found for extrinsic satisfaction. Overall, the results failed to support an interactional perspective. On the other hand, these findings contribute to a growing awareness of the positive effects of Type A in work-related areas such as job satisfaction and performance.

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