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Perceiving a calling, living a calling, and job satisfaction: testing a moderated, multiple mediator model
Ryan D Duffy1, Elizabeth M Bott, Blake A Allan
1Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. rduf@ufl.edu
Journal of Counseling Psychology
|November 9, 2011
Summary
Feeling a sense of calling at work and actively living that calling are linked to greater job satisfaction. This connection is strengthened when individuals feel they are truly embodying their calling, highlighting its importance for career fulfillment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Organizational Behavior
- Vocational Psychology
Background:
- Understanding the factors that contribute to job satisfaction is crucial for employee well-being and organizational success.
- The concepts of perceiving a calling and living a calling are increasingly recognized as significant elements in career development and job fulfillment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between perceiving a calling, living a calling, and job satisfaction.
- To examine the mediating roles of career commitment and work meaning in this relationship.
- To explore the moderating effect of living a calling on the association between perceiving a calling and its outcomes.
Main Methods:
- An online survey was administered to 201 employed adults from diverse backgrounds.
- Statistical analyses, including moderated mediation models, were employed to test the hypotheses.
- Key variables measured included perceiving a calling, living a calling, career commitment, work meaning, and job satisfaction.
Main Results:
- Perceiving and living a calling were positively correlated with career commitment, work meaning, and job satisfaction.
- Living a calling moderated the relationship between perceiving a calling and career commitment/work meaning.
- Work meaning and career commitment fully mediated the link between perceiving a calling and job satisfaction, but only for those high in living a calling.
Conclusions:
- The study underscores the importance of not only perceiving a calling but also actively living it for enhanced job satisfaction.
- Living a calling acts as a crucial moderator, amplifying the positive effects of perceiving a calling through work meaning and career commitment.
- Findings suggest practical implications for career counseling and organizational interventions aimed at fostering a sense of calling.
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