Toward a holistic perspective of congruence research with the polynomial regression model

The polynomial regression with response surface analysis (PRRSA) model is widely used in congruence studies, yet its application in congruence research has not achieved the desired theoretical progress in this research area. As part of the continuous efforts to advance congruence research, this study analyzes 31 congruence-related articles recently published in top-tier management journals, including Journal of Applied Psychology, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management, Personnel Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Human Resource Management. We find that congruence researchers often fail to consider all the conditions required to test congruence effects. Our reanalysis of these studies shows that when all required conditions are used, the exact correspondence effect, sometimes also labeled as the exact match effect or the perfect match effect, is only supported in three studies. Caution is hence warranted both for citing these studies as evidence of congruence and for proposing practical implications based on the findings in these studies. A holistic perspective is then proposed in this study to facilitate the proper application of the PRRSA model to help congruence scholars develop stronger theories and enhance scientific rigor in congruence research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).