The interactive effects of variety, autonomy, and feedback on attitudes and performance

Abstract

Job dimensions of autonomy, variety, and feedback were objectively manipulated to evaluate their effect on perceptions of job characteristics and on job outcomes. Except for feedback level, manipulations and perceptions independently predicted satisfaction, and one significant two-way interaction emerged. In a high variety task, increased autonomy led to increased satisfaction, while in a low variety task, increased autonomy had a negligible effect on satisfaction. For performance, objective variety and autonomy also interacted, indicating that in a low variety task, autonomy had little impact, while in a high variety task, increased autonomy contributed 16 per cent to performance. In addition, autonomy and feedback interacted with one another, with increased feedback in a high autonomy task again contributing 16 per cent to performance, while increased feedback in a low autonomy task had little impact on performance. Findings are discussed from both the Job Characteristics Model and control theory perspectives.