Passion versus positivity: How work passion and dispositional affect predict job satisfaction and its facets

Abstract

Work passion—a motive that contains affective and cognitive components—is highly desirable and has positive consequences for individuals and organizations. We propose work passion as the missing piece that can explain unique variance in job satisfaction above and beyond the established predictor of dispositional affect. Taking a motivational approach based on the Dualistic Model of Passion and self-determination theory, we tested how two types of work passion (harmonious and obsessive) and two types of dispositional affect (positive and negative) predicted overall job satisfaction and nine job satisfaction facets (satisfaction with pay, promotion, supervision, fringe benefits, contingent rewards, operating conditions, coworkers, the nature of work, and communication). In a two-wave study of working adults, structural equation modeling and regression-based relative weights analysis showed that harmonious passion predicted the largest proportion of variance in job satisfaction overall and in all nine of its facets. Together, our findings highlight the importance of harmonious passion and the utility of a motivational theoretical perspective on job satisfaction for HR scholars and practitioners.