Social identification, stress and citizenship in teams: a five‐phase longitudinal study

Abstract

Abstract Previous theorizing and research in the social identity tradition suggests that identification with a group is a major determinant both of individuals' citizenship behaviour and their experience of, and responses to, social and organizational stressors. To provide a longitudinal exploration of these processes, the present study examines the patterns of group identification, work‐related attitudes and burnout within two theatre production teams on five occasions, from audition to post‐performance. As predicted, identification with the production team at the outset predicted positive perceptions and attitudes at the productions' conclusion. Specifically, high identifiers were more willing to display organizational citizenship, had greater work satisfaction and had more pride in their work than those lower in identification. Compared with low identifiers, high identifiers were also less likely to experience burnout during the most demanding phases of a production (i.e. dress rehearsal and performance). Moreover, path analysis indicates that the effect of initial identification on the level of citizenship that was ultimately displayed was partly attributable to the role that group identification played in protecting individuals from burnout during these demanding periods. Findings thus suggest that social identification not only motivates individuals to contribute to group success but also protects them from the stressors they encounter in the process of making that contribution. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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