The Empirical Research on the Relationships between Individual Differences and Psychological Contracts - Using Knowledge Employees as Research Participants

Abstract

This research examines the relationships between individual differences (equity sensitivity and careerism) and psychological contracts (transactional, balanced, and relational) using knowledge employees as research participants. We test the hypothesized relationships using hierarchical regression analysis with data from a sample of 452 knowledge employees from several big cities of China. The results show that equity sensitivity is positively related to transactional psychological contract and negatively related to balanced psychological contract, and careerism is positively related to transactional psychological contract and balanced psychological contract, and negatively related to relational psychological contract. Keywordsequity sensitivity; careerism; transactional psychological contract; balanced psychological contract; relational psychological contract