Abstract
In three studies, we examined the relationship between free will beliefs and job satisfaction over time and across cultures. Study 1 examined 252 Taiwanese real-estate agents over a 3-months period. Study 2 examined job satisfaction for 137 American workers on an online labor market over a 6-months period. Study 3 extended to a large sample of 14,062 employees from 16 countries and examined country-level moderators. We found a consistent positive relationship between the belief in free will and job satisfaction. The relationship was above and beyond other agency constructs (Study 2), mediated by perceived autonomy (Studies 2-3), and stronger in countries with a higher national endorsement of the belief in free will (Study 3). We conclude that free-will beliefs predict outcomes over time and across cultures beyond other agency constructs. We call for more cross-cultural and longitudinal studies examining free-will beliefs as predictors of real-life outcomes.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 304-317 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 1 Nov 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Mar 2018 |
Keywords
- Journal Article
- CORE SELF-EVALUATIONS
- METAANALYSIS
- SUCCESS
- agency
- PERFORMANCE
- BEHAVIOR
- INTRINSIC MOTIVATION
- CHOICE
- belief in free will
- DISBELIEF
- PUNISHMENT
- job satisfaction
- BRAIN
- United States
- Humans
- Male
- Personal Autonomy
- Job Satisfaction
- Cross-Cultural Comparison
- Taiwan
- Adult
- Female
- Surveys and Questionnaires