Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Committee Chair/Advisor

Mary Anne Taylor

Committee Member

Patrick Rosopa

Committee Member

Robin Kowalski

Abstract

A common workplace problem, particularly for women and other minorities, is workplace ostracism and a lack of inclusion into social and professional networks. There are many negative effects of workplace ostracism including decreased job satisfaction and productivity and increased turnover intentions. Conversely, inclusion is associated with positive interpersonal, psychological, and work-related outcomes for individuals. Given the importance of ostracism and inclusion, understanding predictors of these variables may aid the design of successful, supportive organizational interventions to create a positive environment for employees. Based on the literature, it seemed that ostracism and inclusion would be impacted by feelings of institutional, supervisor, peer, and mentor support as well as work mattering. In the review, the position taken was that the most personal sources of support, mentoring and peer support, would be more powerful predictors of ostracism and inclusion than supervisor and organizational support. In addition, the possibility that there would be differences in the predictors of workplace ostracism and inclusion related to gender was explored. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the relationship between all four forms of support and the outcomes of inclusion and ostracism would be stronger for women than for men. A sample of 107 participants completed an online survey. Support was found for the importance of more personal forms of support for inclusion, but not ostracism. Support was also found for the importance of work mattering for both ostracism and inclusion. The only gender moderation supported was for the relationship between peer support and ostracism.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.