Date of Award

5-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College/School

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department/Program

Psychology

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Jennifer Bragger

Committee Member

Dan Simonet

Committee Member

Gene Kutcher

Abstract

There are arguably great benefits when employees experience a sense of purpose or meaningfulness in their work. The current study examined whether felt meaningfulness of work and family predicts one’s tendency to manage work/life outcomes. Via survey methodology, 386 participants reported the sense of meaningfulness they derived from their work and from their family responsibilities. Analyses explored how individuals’ relative ratings of work and family meaningfulness, as well as the similarity of these perceptions with those of their spouses/partners, affect Work Family Conflict, Balance, and Enrichment. Results showed that meaningfulness of work and family significantly affected work family outcomes. Furthermore, bigger differences within the individual with respect to his/her perceptions of work-versus-home meaningfulness predicted less balance and enrichment. Bigger differences between spouses with respect to perceptions of work meaningfulness predicted less enrichment while perceptions of family meaningfulness predicted more enrichment and less conflict. Additional detail about subfactor dimension effects, as well as practical and theoretical implications, are provided.

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