Source attribution matters: Mediation and moderation effects in the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction

TY - JOUR

T1 - Source attribution matters

T2 - Mediation and moderation effects in the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction

AU - Zhao, Kai

AU - Zhang, Mian

AU - Kraimer, Maria L.

AU - Yang, Baiyin

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under two grants (71421061 and 71232002). Funding Information: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant/Award Numbers: 71232002 and 71421061 Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under two grants (71421061 and 71232002). The authors shall thank Dr. Zhen Zhang at Arizona State University and Dr. Xiaoye Wang at Tsinghua University for their method advices. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PY - 2019/5

Y1 - 2019/5

N2 - On the basis of the source attribution perspective of work–family conflict, this study aims to first test whether threat to the family role mediates the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction. We then examine boundary conditions of the source attribution perspective by drawing on boundary management and gender role orientation theories to examine whether role segmentation enactment and gender role orientation moderate the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction. Using a scenario-based experiment in Study 1, we find that threat to the family role mediates the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction. This finding provides evidence supporting the appraisal process proposed by the perspective of source attribution. Using survey data collected from 216 Chinese managers and their spouses in Study 2, we find that work-to-family conflict has a negative relationship with job satisfaction only among people with high levels of role segmentation between work and home. In addition, for male managers, the negative moderating effect of role segmentation enactment on the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction is stronger for those with a nontraditional gender role orientation, compared with those with a traditional gender role orientation. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

AB - On the basis of the source attribution perspective of work–family conflict, this study aims to first test whether threat to the family role mediates the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction. We then examine boundary conditions of the source attribution perspective by drawing on boundary management and gender role orientation theories to examine whether role segmentation enactment and gender role orientation moderate the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction. Using a scenario-based experiment in Study 1, we find that threat to the family role mediates the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction. This finding provides evidence supporting the appraisal process proposed by the perspective of source attribution. Using survey data collected from 216 Chinese managers and their spouses in Study 2, we find that work-to-family conflict has a negative relationship with job satisfaction only among people with high levels of role segmentation between work and home. In addition, for male managers, the negative moderating effect of role segmentation enactment on the relationship between work-to-family conflict and job satisfaction is stronger for those with a nontraditional gender role orientation, compared with those with a traditional gender role orientation. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

KW - gender role orientation

KW - job satisfaction

KW - role segmentation enactment

KW - source attribution

KW - work-to-family conflict

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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2345

DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2345

M3 - Article

VL - 40

SP - 492

EP - 505

JO - Journal of Organizational Behavior

JF - Journal of Organizational Behavior

SN - 0894-3796

IS - 4

ER -