Compulsory Citizenship Behavior and Facades of Conformity: A Moderated Mediation Model of Neuroticism and Citizenship Pressure

Abstract

Drawing on the social exchange theory, this study investigates how compulsory citizenship behavior (CCB) produces facades of conformity through citizenship pressure, and whether neuroticism moderates the relationship among them. This study surveyed 356 employees (259 males, 97 females; average age 37.7 years) of a northern Taiwanese corporation to investigate the relationship among CCB, citizenship pressure, and facades of conformity. The study found that neuroticism moderates the strength of the indirect effect of CCB and facades of conformity through citizenship pressure, such that the mediated relationship is stronger under high neuroticism than under low neuroticism. It also suggests that a relationship among CCB, citizenship pressure, and facades of conformity exists, in which a negative response leads to generalized pressure in organizations. Finally, this study proposes that managers and employers should consider that CCB may result in false conformity by employees and introduce negative citizenship pressure into the work domain. In addition, employers should encourage employees to build social relations to avoid CCB. Organizations and leaders need to generate environments within which employees support extra-role activities in the workplace.