SOURCES OF VARIATION IN JOB SATISFACTION: JOB SIZE EFFECTS IN A SAMPLE OF THE U. S. LABOR FORCE

Abstract

Survey data were used to examine hypotheses about job size and satisfaction in a broad spectrum of jobs. Job size, higher‐order need importance, urban‐rural residence, and blue‐ or white‐collar job category were tested as predictors of satisfaction (N= 2,094). Job size, need importance, and job category all related to job satisfaction. In constrast to earlier findings among blue‐collar workers, there was no evidence that either the urban‐rural variable or need importance moderated the job size‐satisfaction relation. Job category did not moderate these results, indicating that the present results extend to white‐collar workers. It was possible to control for income in a subsample (N= 753). Controlling for income's effect, job size, need importance, and job category still related to satisfaction; again, no moderating effects were observed. Results are discussed in terms of three potential sources of variation in satisfaction: job, person, and interaction of job and person.