On the relationships among work characteristics and learning-related behavior: Does age matter?

Abstract

This 3-wave longitudinal study examined (a) the causal direction of the relationships among psychosocial work characteristics (e.g., job demands, job control, and supervisor support) and indicators of learning-related behavior (e.g., motivation to learn and active problem solving), and (b) whether these relationships differed across age, by comparing the results for young (<= 30), middle-aged (31-44) and older (>= 45) workers. The results for the total sample revealed significant reciprocal causal relationships among job demands, job control, and learning-related behavior. Furthermore, significant age differences were found in the level of the work characteristics and learning-related behavior, as well as in the cross-lagged relationships among the variables. Compared to earlier predominantly cross-sectional results, the present study underlines the importance of taking a dynamic as well as a life-span view on the relationships between work and learning-related behavior.