The sociometer theory at work: Exploring the organizational interpersonal roots of self‐esteem

Formation mechanism of contributors' self-identity based on social identity in online knowledge communities

Introduction

Contributors' self-identity is a critical element in the sustainable development of online knowledge communities (OKCs). However, research concerning the formation mechanism of contributors' self-identity remains scarce. This research posits information support, novel posting and sense of self-worth as mediating variables between social identity and self-identity to construct a path model, aiming to explore the way in which self-identity is formed on the basis of social identity in OKCs.

Methods

To examine this mode, an online survey was administered to many different OKCs, and 515 usable questionnaire responses were collected. Structural equation modeling was then employed to examine the model.

Results

The R2 value of self-identity was 0.627, thus indicating that the model was able to explain 62.7% of the variance in self-identity. We find that self-identity emerges through the mediating effects of information support, novel posting and sense of self-worth. In addition, social identity can elicit novel posting and information support, which are all beneficial for enhancing the dynamics of OKCs and further generate sense of self-worth. We also observe that although social identity and individualized behavior (novel posting) are generally incompatible, they can be compatible in the context of OKCs.

Discussion

Self-identity as a contributor can be formed on the basis of social identity via the social path and the psychological path in OKCs, while the two paths for fostering self-identity are not independent of each other, and there is also a very strong link between behavioral and psychological mechanisms.

Research on the Effect of Narcissistic Leadership on Employee Job Embeddedness

Narcissistic leadership is the synthesis of narcissistic personality traits and leadership behaviors that are motivated mainly by self-interest needs and arrogant beliefs. Such leadership style has multiple effects on organizations and employees. The amplifying influence of narcissistic leadership on their subordinates has become a hot topic in the field of organizational behavior. Based on the social exchange theory and the resource conservation theory, the current study constructs a chain mediation model of narcissistic leadership affecting employees’ job embeddedness with 405 corporate employees as survey respondents. The results of data analysis show that narcissistic leadership is significantly and negatively related to employees’ job embeddedness; Leader-member exchange (LMX) and perceived insider status not only play a mediating role between narcissistic leadership and job embeddedness but also play a chain mediating roles in the relationship between narcissistic leadership and job embeddedness. Our findings deepen the theoretical exploration of narcissistic leadership and help all types of organizations to improve their leadership practices.

Validation of the Organizational-Based General Self-Esteem Scale

Using data from four different samples of full-time employees (N_total = 2,474), the present study was aimed to introduce and demonstrate the validity and reliability of the Organizational-Based General Self-esteem Scale (OB-GSE) a new six-item self-report scale to measure organizational-based self-esteem (OBSE) at work. Results provided evidence of (1) validity (internal, external, and convergent), (2) reliability, and (3) temporal stability of the OB-GSE scale. All in all, results attested the usefulness and the effectiveness of the OB-GSE scale.

Personal Resources and Organizational Outcomes: Sex as a Moderator of the Complex Relationships Between Self-Esteem, Heart Rate Variability, and Work-Related Exhaustion

Global self-esteem represents a protective personal resource lowering the risk of psychological distress. Research conducted in the work setting has confirmed the psychosocial benefits of high self-esteem. However, research linking self-esteem to neurobiological adaptability appears quite scarce. In this study, we propose a theoretical model in which self-esteem predicts work-related exhaustion indirectly, through the mediation of heart rate variability (HRV) and negative affect at work. Moreover, we explore the relationship between self-esteem and HRV. From one side, one would expect a positive link between self-esteem and HRV, signaling higher autonomic adaptability. However, recent studies have shown that in women, such associations become more complex, with even reversed patterns as compared with that in men. Thus, we included sex as a moderator of the relationship between HRV and self-esteem. The model was tested on a sample of 110 individuals working in the relational professions (54% males; M _age = 42.6, SD = 13.73), observed for an entire workday. Results confirmed the protective role of self-esteem against the experience of negative affect and (indirectly) work-related exhaustion. Symptoms of exhaustion at work were also negatively predicted by HRV, and both HRV and negative affect acted as mediators of the relationship between self-esteem and work-related exhaustion. Notably, sex differences emerged in the association between global self-esteem and cardiac vagal tone at work: in women, self-esteem was negatively related to HRV, which in turn led to higher work-related exhaustion, whereas in men, no evidence of this indirect effect appeared. Burnout prevention programs should not ignore important sex differences in how individuals respond to work-related stress.