The role of affectivity in job satisfaction: a meta-analysis

Correlations between affectivity and job satisfaction measures were examined by cumulating research findings across studies. Correlations between (1) job satisfaction and positive affectivity, (2) job satisfaction and negative affectivity and (3) job satisfaction and affective disposition, were separately analyzed. The mean correlation corrected for coefficient alpha in the two measures correlated were: 0.49 for positive affectivity (N=3326, k=15), −0.33 for negative affectivity (N=6233, k=27) and 0.36 for affective disposition (N=1415, k=7). Results indicated that 10–25% of variance in job satisfaction could be due to individual differences in affectivity. No strong moderator variables were found. Implications for a dispositional and situational source of job satisfaction are discussed.