Work locus of control as a moderator of the relationship between work stressors and counterproductive work behavior.

Abstract

The current study was conducted to determine whether work locus of control served as a moderator of the relationship between work stressors and counterproductive work behavior. In order to examine this relationship, 191 full-time working adults employed in various occupations were surveyed via the StudyResponse Project. Results indicated that the interaction between work locus of control and work stressors accounted for 1% to 2% of the variance in counterproductive work behavior. Specifically, organizational constraints and interpersonal conflict were more strongly related to counterproductive behavior for employees with an external (vs. internal) work locus of control. This suggests work locus of control as an important variable to consider in counterproductive work behavior research. Implications of these findings, as well as directions for future research, are discussed.