Political Misfit at Work: Examining the Effects of Political Affiliation Dissimilarity in Selection and Work Processes

Authors

Alexander Snihur, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Psychology

First Advisor's Name

Asia Eaton

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Valentina Bruk-Lee

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Third Advisor's Name

Chockalingam Viswesvaran

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Hock-Peng Sin

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Keywords

political affiliation, political party, selection, hiring, workplace relations

Date of Defense

3-18-2021

Abstract

Over the last two decades, political affiliation membership has become an increasingly divisive social identity in the United States. Many organizational researchers have pushed for more investigation into understanding the effects of this salient yet understudied identity in the workplace. The purpose of this dissertation was to answer this call to action and examine the influence of political affiliation (Republican or Democrat) (dis)similarity on two discrete parts of the work process. Study one assessed how political affiliation (dis)similarity between a rater and a fictitious job applicant affected perceptions of applicant hireability through the potential mediators of applicant liking and applicant competence. Using Qualtrics Panel Service, a total sample of 270 working adult men successfully completed the online, between-subjects, experimental vignette resume study. The results of this study suggested that a (mis)match in political affiliation membership between job applicants and raters affects applicant liking, which subsequently affects hiring intentions for Republican raters. Implications for job applicants, hiring managers, organizations, and federal legislation are discussed.

Study two investigated the extent to which (dis)similar political affiliation membership between supervisor-subordinate dyads in the workplace relates to the relational outcomes of supervisor support and leader-member exchange (LMX), the attitudinal outcomes of job satisfaction and affective commitment, and the well-being outcome of perceived stress. Subordinate liking of one’s supervisor was proposed as the mediator through which political affiliation (dis)similarity affected these outcomes. Using Qualtrics Panel Service, a total of 209 working adult men and women successfully completed the online cross-sectional survey. The results of this study indicated that a (mis)match in political affiliation membership between a supervisor and a subordinate in the workplace significantly related to subordinate perceptions of supervisor support, LMX, job satisfaction, affective commitment, and stress, indirectly, through supervisor liking. Implications for employees, supervisors, organizations, and federal legislation are discussed.

Identifier

FIDC009581

ORCID

0000-0002-9920-0752

Recommended Citation

Snihur, Alexander, "Political Misfit at Work: Examining the Effects of Political Affiliation Dissimilarity in Selection and Work Processes" (2021). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4669.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/4669