Affective, Continuance, and Normative Commitment to the Organization: An Examination of Construct Validity

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology
• Human Resource Management

Background:

• The Affective, Continuance, and Normative Commitment Scales (ACN Scales) are widely used to measure employee commitment.
• Previous research has established the scales' reliability and theoretical underpinnings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review and evaluate the empirical evidence for the construct validity of the ACN Scales.
• To assess the suitability of the ACN Scales for ongoing research in organizational behavior.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies employing the ACN Scales.
• Analysis of empirical data and theoretical arguments concerning the scales' validity.
• Examination of psychometric properties and factor structures.

Main Results:

• The review found substantial empirical support for the construct validity of the ACN Scales.
• Evidence generally supports the three-component structure of organizational commitment (affective, continuance, normative).
• Minor empirical questions remain but do not invalidate the scales' overall utility.

Conclusions:

• The ACN Scales demonstrate robust construct validity.
• The scales are deemed appropriate for continued use in substantive organizational research.
• Further research can build upon the established validity of these commitment measures.