Leiden University Student Repository

Belt, Lianne (2024)

Effect of PE fit on emotional exhaustion: culturally dependent? The influence of person-job and person-group fit on emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of masculinity/femininity and collectivism/individualism

Master thesis | Psychology (MSc)

The match between a person and one’s work environment is important for work outcomes, such as emotional exhaustion in burnout. This is illustrated by the person-environmental fit (PE fit) model, which consists, amongst others, of person-job fit (PJ fit) and person-group fit (PG fit). The relationship between these measures and emotional exhaustion could be moderated by cultural factors. In this research two cultural values are considered on an individual level, as PE fit is a subjective measure and thus dependent on individual values. Also, cultural values can differ between individuals within the same country. Firstly, the dimension masculinity/femininity was considered as a moderator between PJ fit and emotional exhaustion. This entails amongst others the importance of assertiveness and whether there is a difference between what men and women should achieve in a career. Secondly, the dimension collectivism/individualism was considered as a moderator between PG fit and emotional...Show moreThe match between a person and one’s work environment is important for work outcomes, such as emotional exhaustion in burnout. This is illustrated by the person-environmental fit (PE fit) model, which consists, amongst others, of person-job fit (PJ fit) and person-group fit (PG fit). The relationship between these measures and emotional exhaustion could be moderated by cultural factors. In this research two cultural values are considered on an individual level, as PE fit is a subjective measure and thus dependent on individual values. Also, cultural values can differ between individuals within the same country. Firstly, the dimension masculinity/femininity was considered as a moderator between PJ fit and emotional exhaustion. This entails amongst others the importance of assertiveness and whether there is a difference between what men and women should achieve in a career. Secondly, the dimension collectivism/individualism was considered as a moderator between PG fit and emotional exhaustion. This entails the amount to which the group is more important than the individual. Two regression analyses were done using a sample of 161 participants (20 to 65 years old) who work for at least 24 hours a week. Nine participants were not entirely Dutch. The results showed that low PJ fit significantly predicts high emotional exhaustion, but masculinity/femininity did not significantly influence this relationship. Next, the participants without a work group were filtered out, resulting in 136 participants. Then, the results showed that there is no significant relationship between PG fit and emotional exhaustion, and that collectivism/individualism had no significant influence. Thus, in the organizational field, PJ misfit can be used as a risk factor in the secondary prevention of burnout. In the Dutch population, the two cultural values do not seem to play a role in the specific relationships. In future research one should consider other cultural values, PE fit measures and work outcomes, to generate an overview of risk factors for negative work outcomes.Show less

Author

Belt, Lianne

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Occupational Health Psychology

Supervisors

Verhoeven, C.J.M.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en