Feeling obliged or happy to be a good soldier? Employee cognitive and affective reactions to receiving reactive and proactive help

Yuan-Fang Zhan (), Li-Rong Long (), Kong Zhou () and Hai-Jiang Wang ()
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Yuan-Fang Zhan: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Li-Rong Long: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Kong Zhou: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Hai-Jiang Wang: Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 2023, vol. 40, issue 1, No 2, 37-57

Abstract: Abstract Research shows that when employees receive help from their coworkers, they often “pay it forward” by doing something beneficial to their organization in turn. In this study, we propose a dual-process model linking interpersonal helping to employee organizational citizenship behavior directed at the organization (OCBO). In particular, we hypothesize that receiving reactive help from coworkers (i.e., help in response to a beneficiary’s request) elicits a cognitive process in which employees feel obligated to perform OCBO. Meanwhile, receiving proactive help from coworkers (i.e., help without a beneficiary’s request) elicits an affective process in which employees feel happy (i.e., more positive affect) to engage in OCBO. Using a scenario experiment (N = 231) and a daily diary study (N = 111, total observations = 854), we found results that supported for our hypotheses. Our findings suggest that receiving different types of help (reactive vs. proactive) may invoke different psychological processes, although they both promote employee OCBO. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings were discussed.

Keywords: Interpersonal helping; Generalized reciprocity; OCBO; Positive affect; Social exchange (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10490-021-09774-w

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