Latent transition analysis in organizational psychology : A simplified “how to” guide by using an applied example

Demands for more robust designs in organizational research have led to a steady increase in the number of longitudinal studies in organizational psychology (OP) journals. Similarly, the number and ways to analyze longitudinal data have also increased. In this paper, we adopt a relatively new and promising approach to help researchers analyze their longitudinal data in OP, namely latent transition analysis (LTA). We present a simplified guideline on LTA and discuss its role for OP researchers. Moreover, we demonstrate how organizational scholars can use this method with a practical example. In this example, we investigate (a) if there are qualitatively distinct subgroups of employees based on particular patterns of psychological capital (PsyCap) dimensions (i.e., efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism), (b) if employees stay in these subgroups or transition to other groups over time, and finally, (c) if leader-member exchange (LMX) is associated with this transition. We use LTA to examine these steps in a German sample (N = 180)

‘My family’s goals are also my goals’: the relationship between collectivism, distal utility value, and learning and career goals of international university students in Germany

The utility value of an academic task can affect university students’ learning behavior and career choices. For collectivistic-oriented students, learning and career goals also matter to their families. Following expectancy-value theory, we assumed that families’ achievement-related expectations would affect collectivistic-oriented students’ utility value. We conducted a survey study with 154 international university students in Germany. We found a significant mediation effect of students’ distal utility value of their university coursework on the relationship between students’ collectivism, learning goal orientation, and motivation to follow family-oriented distal career goals, respectively. Practical implications for career counselors and university teachers are discussed

Predicting telecommuting preferences and job outcomes amid COVID-19 pandemic : A latent profile analysis.

Telecommuting is defined as “a work practice that involves members of an organization substituting a portion of their typical work hours (ranging from a few hours per week to nearly full-time) to work away from a central workplace—typically principally from home —using technology to interact with others as needed to conduct work tasks”(Allen, Golden, & Shockley, 2015: 44). This kind of practice substantially differs from the regular and ordinary modes of work because employees perform their usual work in different settings, usually from home (Allen et al., 2015). Although research has been conducted on telecommuting since the 1970s, it has recently become critical when life incidents, like the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many to work from home. Such events offer rare opportunities, for a wide range of researchers and from various fields, to study important questions that would not typically be able to be asked, such as about telecommuting experiences. We took this opportunity and conducted two studies regarding telecommuting, basing our rationale on the fact that many on-site employees were forced to work from home, across a wide range of occupations as a direct result of the pandemic(Kramer & Kramer, 2020). The aim of our study, thus, was to investigate the preferences of employees who were forced to work from home. Specifically, bycreating latent profiles from important work and personality related constructs, we aimed at predicting employees’ preference for working from home or working on-site based on these profiles, and further investigate the relationship of these latent profiles to perceived productivity, job satisfaction, and job engagement

Fear Motives, Intrusive Thoughts and Self-Control Strategies among Managers

In this study, we investigate if intrusive thoughts are a mediator in the relationship between implicit fear motives and self-control strategies in two studies with manager samples. We also investigate if fear motives is indirectly associated with positive affect through intrusive thoughts and self-control strategies

Insecure yet Resourceful: Psychological Capital Mitigates the Negative Effects of Employees’ Career Insecurity on Their Career Satisfaction

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased employee career concerns (i.e., insecurity), and many people face difficulties with their current jobs. In addition, employees have struggled with their health due to COVID-19. Based on the psychological capital (PsyCap) and the conservation of resource theories, we suggest that personal resources, such as resilience, can mitigate the adverse effects of employee career insecurity on their career-related outcomes, such as career satisfaction, as well as on their health. In a German-speaking sample (N = 185) and a two-wave design, we investigated the role of employees’ career insecurity on their career satisfaction. We employed PsyCap as a moderator in these relationships. Results showed a negative relationship between career insecurity and career satisfaction. In addition, moderation analyses revealed that PsyCap significantly moderates the effects of career insecurity on employee career satisfaction. Specifically, for high PsyCap the effect of career insecurity on employee career satisfaction does not hold significant, while it does for low PsyCap, showing that PsyCap can mitigate the negative effects of career insecurity on employee career satisfaction. With a robust personal construct in career research, our study contributes to this field by investigating the role of PsyCap for employee careers, especially in a crisis context (i.e., COVID-19). We discuss implications for employees and organizations

Implicit-Explicit Motive Congruence and Its Effect on Job Burnout and Job Satisfaction Through Intrinsic Motivation

This study aims at replicating the study by Rawolle et al. (2016) on the mediating effect of implicit explicit motive discrepancy (IED) on job burnout through intrinsic motivation. Further, it adds on the research by researching the same mediation analysis on job satisfaction and further, add volitional self-regulation as a moderator in the relationship between IED and intrinsic motivation and IED and job burnout and job satisfaction. Further, it aims at re-analyzing the IED with polynomial regression and response surface analysis as difference score has been reported as to be problematic (e.g., Schönbrodt, 2016)

Latent Profiles to Predict Telecommuting Preference

With this project, we aim at creating profiles based on some psychological variables (need for autonomy, self-regulation etc.), compare the profiles across groups (gender,age and marital status), and predict some work-related variables with the profiles. Most importantly, with this profiles we will predict the individual's willingness to telecommute. This is a second stage of a previously created project

Followers’ Motives as Moderators of the Effects of Transformational Leadership Behaviors on Follower Outcomes and Leaders’ Influence

Supplemental materials for Mr. Cafer Bakaç's "Followers’ Motives as Moderators of the Effects of Transformational Leadership Behaviors on Follower Outcomes and Leaders’ Influence

Latent Profiles of Telecommuters Amid a Pandemic

With this project, we aim at creating profiles based on some psychological variables (need for autonomy, self-regulation etc.), compare the profiles across groups (gender,age and marital status), and predict some work-related variables with the profiles. Most importantly, with this profiles we will predict the individual's willingness to telecommute