What We Learned from a Computational Model of Job Attitudes and Stress

1. What We Learned from a Computational Model of Job Attitudes and Stress Justin M. Weinhardt & Jeffrey B. Vancouvera Ohio University a This work is supported by NSF (grant #0851764), with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

2. The Humble Scientist • Dynamics are difficult • Humans are ill-equipped • Support mechanisms have been created • mathematics • statistical analysis • computational modeling

3. The Computational Approach • Increases precision and transparency • Assures internal (logical) consistency • Identifies unanticipated consequences • Motivated a workshop: • Used attitudes/stress models as example

4. The Ubiquitous Comparator • Hulin & Judge’s (2003) review of job attitude models

5. Part of Edward’s Theory of Stress and Well-Being Desires Discrepancy Well-Being Coping Perception Physical and Social Environment

6. Computational Model: Vensim 0 desires Well-Being/ ∫(-discrepancies)dt discrepancies discrepancies desires - perceptions Job Satisfaction perceptions actions/coping actions/coping Environmental States perceptions behaviors behaviors initial state Environmental ∫("actions/coping behaviors" * environmental responsiveness)dt 0.1 States environmental responsiveness

7. Problem #1: Acting to make things worse desires 0 Well-Being/ discrepancies Job Satisfaction actions/coping negative actions perceptions behaviors initial states |discrepancies|; or discrepancies2 ; or If d > 0, discrepancies else, -discrepancies/2 1 Environmental States environmental responsiveness 0.1

8. Problem #2: Runaway positive feedback loop desires 0 Well-Being/ discrepancies Job Satisfaction actions/coping perceptions behaviors initial states 1 Environmental States environmental responsiveness 0.1

9. Theoretical Implications Here lies affect as mediator theories (e.g., social cognitive theory) Here lies symmetric comparator control theories actions/coping If d > 0, discrepancies + 1 else, ediscrepancies Equity theory (Adams, 1963) behaviors

10. Problem #3: Runaway Satisfaction

11. Add Opponent Process equilibrium level opponent desires process rate Well-Being/ discrepancies Job Satisfaction actions/coping perceptions behaviors Environmental States environmental responsiveness initial state

12. Maybe, but opponent process occurs within seconds

13. Adding Content & Theoretical Richness of Attitude Models felt deserved respect discrepancy 2 desired respect Well-Being/ discrepancy Job Satisfaction bias perceived actions/coping perception importance respect behaviors of effort Respect must be submitted earned papers accepted papers Respect given reviewers colleagues initial state responsiveness responsiveness

14. Adding Content & Theoretical Richness of Attitude Models

16. Theoretical Richness of Attitude Models felt deserved respect discrepancy 2 desired respect discrepancy Well-Being/ discrepancy 3 Job Satisfaction bias perceived actions/coping perception importance perception of respect behaviors of effort effort of others Respect must be submitted earned papers accepted effort/achievement papers Respect given of others reviewers colleagues initial state responsiveness responsiveness

17. https://sites.google.com/site/motivationmodeling/modeling-job-attitudeshttps://sites.google.com/site/motivationmodeling/modeling-job-attitudes Conclusion • Translating theoretical notions into reasonable dynamic models will… • take some time (no pun intended) • require confronting assumptions • possibly lead to the elimination or integration of theories • lead to new insights • lead to predictions of trajectories and relationships not previously examined • Thank you!

18. Further information • ORM tutorial: Vancouver, J.B., & Weinhardt, J.M., (online). Modeling the mind and the milieu: Computational modeling for micro-level organizational researchers. Organizational Research Methods. • Modeling in Org Psych: Weinhardt, J. M. & Vancouver, J. B. (in press). Is there a computational model in your future? Only the math will tell. Organizational Psychology Review. • Web site: https://sites.google.com/site/motivationmodeling/home