Situational and Dispositional Factors as Antecedents of Ingratiatory Behaviors in Organizational Settings

Abstract

This study examined both situational and dispositional antecedents of four ingratiatory behaviors: other-enhancing, opinion conformity, favor rendering, and self-promotion. The two situational variables (i.e., role ambiguity and leader-member exchange) and the four dispositional variables (i.e., self-esteem, need for power, job involvement, and shyness) were considered as antecedents to each of the ingratiatory behaviors. Results from a sample of 136 full-time employees suggested that each of the ingratiatory behaviors had a unique set of antecedents and that the dispositional variables explained significant additional variance beyond the variance explained by the situational variables.