Applying Attachment Theory to Explain Boundary-spanning Behavior: The Role of Organizational Support Climate

• Fei Li ^[1] ; Xiaoyong Liang ^[1] ; Quanle Liu ^[1]
  1. [1] Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, China
• Localización: Revista de psicología del trabajo y de las organizaciones = Journal of work and organizational psychology, ISSN 1576-5962, Vol. 38, Nº 3, 2022, págs. 213-222
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.5093/jwop2022a13
• Títulos paralelos:
  • La utilización de la teoría del apego para explicar el comportamiento de expansión de límites: El papel del clima de apoyo organizativo
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo (pdf)
• Resumen
  • español

    Se ha demostrado que la expansión de límites tiene implicaciones positivas para la aplicación de la innovación, si bien algunas personas tienen menos desarrollada dicha característica. Partiendo de la teoría del apego y de la del apoyo organizativo, este estudio desarrolla un modelo teórico multinivel para investigar cómo influye la inseguridad del apego en el comportamiento de expansión de límites por medio de la autoeficacia y el rol moderador del clima de apoyo organizativo. Para validar el modelo propuesto adoptamos una investigación de encuesta, recogiendo datos de los equipos del proyecto NPD de China. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que los estilos de apego inseguro están asociados con un menor comportamiento de expansión de límites y que la autoeficacia mediatiza parcialmente estas relaciones. Además, el clima de apoyo organizativo juega un papel moderador de la relación entre la ansiedad de apego y el comportamiento de expansión de límites. La repercusión negativa de la ansiedad de apego en el comportamiento de expansión de límites se atenúa cuando el clima de apoyo es elevado. Todo esto aclara el papel de la motivación afectiva y de la percepción compartida en equipo en la formación del comportamiento individual dirigido al exterior.

  • English

    Boundary spanning has been proven to have positive implications for innovation performance; yet, some individuals are less boundary-spanning than others. Drawing on the attachment theory and organizational support theory, this study develops a multi-level theoretical model to investigate how individuals’ attachment insecurity influences boundary-spanning behavior through self-efficacy and the moderating role of organizational support climate. To validate the proposed model, we adopted a survey research, and collected data from NPD project teams in China. The results revealed that both insecure attachment styles were associated with lower levels of individual boundary-spanning behavior, and self-efficacy partially mediated these relationships. Moreover, organizational support climate played a moderating role in the relationship between attachment anxiety and boundary-spanning behavior. With a high level of support climate, the negative impact of attachment anxiety on boundary-spanning behavior was weakened. This elucidates the role of individual affective motivation and team shared perceptions in shaping individual externally focused behavior.

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