OCB as a handicap: an evolutionary psychological perspective

In this article, we seek to contribute to research on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) by adopting a psychological evolutionary perspective that offers a novel way of interpreting such behaviors. Specifically, drawing on the handicap principle in evolutionary biology, we propose that by dem...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of organizational behavior 2006-03, Vol.27 (2), p.185-199
Main Authors: Salamon, Sabrina Deutsch, Deutsch, Yuval
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied psychology
Biological altruism
Biological evolution
Biology
Capabilities
Citizenship
Disabilities
Employee supervision
Evolution
Evolutionary psychology
Information asymmetry
Natural selection
Organizational behavior
Organizational citizenship behaviour
Psychological aspects
Reciprocal altruism
Studies
Work roles
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Summary:In this article, we seek to contribute to research on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) by adopting a psychological evolutionary perspective that offers a novel way of interpreting such behaviors. Specifically, drawing on the handicap principle in evolutionary biology, we propose that by demonstrating the ability to bear the burden associated with costly OCBs, organizational members can credibly signal their otherwise unobservable capabilities to others. We develop a model that explores antecedents and outcomes of engaging in costly OCBs and offer avenues for future research within this framework.
ISSN:0894-3796
1099-1379
DOI:10.1002/job.348