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Self-esteem and self-efficacy have been shown to be important in employees’ working lives. Both constructs predict employees’ positive work-related behavior as well as their perceived well-being. This dissertation adds to research on sources of employees’ job-related self-evaluations by examining correlates of employees’ self-esteem and self-efficacy in the non-work domain. Specifically, the present dissertation focuses on the crossover of self-esteem and self-efficacy in dual-earner relationships. Crossover processes describe the transmission of psychological states between two closely related people. Although crossover processes could be shown for a number of psychological states, crossover research has mainly focused on the crossover of negative psychological states between partners. This dissertation aims to address this research gap by investigating the crossover of self-esteem and self-efficacy as positive job-related self-evaluations as well as its work-related antecedents and consequences. Study 1 and Study 2 thereby dealt with the crossover of self-esteem from different time perspectives as well as with possible moderators facilitating the crossover of self-esteem. Study 3 focused on the crossover of self-efficacy and its underlying mechanisms.Study 1 examined the crossover of self-esteem within working couples and its work-related antecedents and consequences from a day-level perspective. A diary study over five consecutive working days was conducted among 102 working couples. Results from multilevel analyses using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model showed that a person’s day-specific job performance was related to this person’s day-specific self-esteem perceptions after work. Furthermore, as expected, the day-specific self-esteem experienced by one partner (the ‘actor’) after work predicted the other partner’s (the ‘partner’s’) self-esteem in the evening. This crossover effect was stronger for partners with a generally low level of self-esteem and a generally high level of empathic concern. Finally, the partner’s day-specific self-esteem in the evening related to the partner’s anticipated work engagement the next morning.Study 2 also examined the crossover of self-esteem within working couples. Contrary to Study 1, however, the focus of this study lied on the long-term process of self-esteem crossover and its work-related antecedents and consequences. Using a longitudinal study (time lag: six months) among 294 working couples, hypotheses again were tested with multilevel analyses using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. As hypothesized, a person’s work engagement could be shown to be both antecedent and consequence of this person’s self-esteem perceptions. Furthermore, contrary to predictions, a direct crossover of self-esteem over a six months’ period could not be demonstrated. However, as expected, there was a significant moderation of the partner’s general self-esteem in the crossover process implying that especially people with a rather low level of general self-esteem are susceptible to self-esteem crossover.Study 3 dealt with the crossover of self-efficacy within working couples and its underlying mechanisms. Online survey data from a sample of 102 professionals and their working partners was gathered. Results from multilevel analyses with the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model showed a crossover of self-efficacy between both partners. Furthermore, results supported the hypothesis that vicarious experience and verbal persuasion are the mediators underlying this crossover process. Finally, as expected, the crossover of self-efficacy in turn resulted in the partner’s altered work engagement.In conclusion, this dissertation contributes to research on positive crossover processes and on sources of individuals’ job-related self-evaluations. Particularly, by integrating research on self-esteem and self-efficacy within the crossover framework, a crossover of both self-esteem and self-efficacy could be shown among working couples which supports the main proposition of the present dissertation. Throughout all three studies it could be demonstrated that the crossover of job-related self-evaluations in turn resulted in the partner’s altered work engagement which underlines the relevance of the results for the work context. Furthermore, by focusing on both moderators (Study 1 and Study 2) and mediators (Study 3) within the crossover process, it could be shown that different mechanisms seem to be involved in the crossover of self-esteem and self-efficacy, respectively. The different time frames in Study 1 and Study 2 thereby constitute a special strength as they enable conclusions concerning differences between short- and long-term crossover processes, respectively. Concerning research on the sources of individuals’ job-related self-evaluations, the results of all three empirical studies could demonstrate that the non-work domain constitutes an additional source of an individual’s job-related self-evaluations.The crossover of job-related self-evaluation between working partners brings along important implications for organizations and employees alike as it helps to broaden the view on sources of individuals’ job-related self-evaluations and the compatibility of a person’s work and non-work life |
