Skip to main content
Log in

An Examination of the Moderating Influence of Breadwinner Role Salience on the Pay Life Satisfaction Relationship

  • Published:
Human Relations

Abstract

This study examined the pay life satisfactionrelationship and the moderating influence of breadwinnerrole salience among a sample of Hong Kong Chineseprofessional and managerial employees (N = 255). The results of zero-order correlational andmoderated regression analysis revealed support for thepay life satisfaction relationship. The interaction termof pay satisfaction by breadwinner role salience made a significant but rather modestcontribution to the explained variance in lifesatisfaction and this finding was not gender-specific.Results of a subgroup analysis also revealed that thepay life satisfaction relationship was significant amongthe low breadwinner role salience group but wasnonsignificant among the high breadwinner role saliencegroup. In general, the findings highlight the importance of breadwinner role salience to employees'reactions to the economic conditions of work.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • ARYEE, S. FIELDS, D., & LUK, V. A cross-cultural test of a model of the work-family interface. Journal of Management( in press).

  • BERNARD, J. The good provider role: Its rise and fall. American Psychologist, 1981, 36,1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • BRIEF, A. P., & ALDAG, R. J. The e conomic functions of work. In G. R. Ferris and K. M. Rowland ( Eds.), Research in personnel and human resources management(Vol. 7). Greenwich,CT: JAI Press, 1989, pp. 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • BURKE, P. J. Identity processes and social stress. American Sociological Review,1991, 56,836–849.

    Google Scholar 

  • CHACKO, T. I. Job and life satisfactions: A causal analysis of their relationships. Academyof Management Journal,1983, 26,163–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • DIENER, E. Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin,1984, 95,542–575.

    Google Scholar 

  • DIENER, E., EMMONS, R. A., LARSEN, R. J., & GRIFFIN, S. The satisfaction with lifescale. Journal of Personality Assessment,1985, 49,71–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • DUXBURY, E., & HIGGINS, C. Ge nder difference s in work-family conflict. Journal of Ap-pliedPsychology,1991, 76,60–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • FRONE, M. R., RUSSELL, M., & COOPER, M. L. Ante cede nts and outcomes of work-familyconflict: Te sting a model of the work-family interface. Journal of Applied Psychology,1992, 77,65–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • FRONE, M. R., RUSSELL, M., & COOPER, M. L. Job stressors, job involve ment and em-ployeehealth: A test of identity theory. Journal of Occupationa l and Organization al Psy-chology,1995, 68,1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • GEORGE J. M., & BRIEF, A. P. The e conomic instrumentality of work: An e xamination ofthe moderating e ffects of financial requirements and sex on the pay ¯ life satisfaction re-lationship. Journal of Vocational Behavior,1990, 37,357–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • GOLLOB, H. F., & REICHARDT, C. S. Taking account of time lags in causal models. ChildDevelopm ent,1987, 5,80–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • HENEMAN, H. G., & SCHWAB, D. P. Pay satisfaction: Its multidimensional nature andme asurement. International Journal of Psychology,1985, 20,129–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • HOOD, J. C. The provider role: Its meaning and measurement. Journal of Marriage and theFamily,1986, 448,349–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • HOWARD, A. Work and family crossroads spanning the career. In S. Zedeck ( Ed.), Work, families and organizations. n Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1992, pp. 70–137.

  • JUDGE, T. A., & WATANABE, S. Another look at the job satisfaction ¯ life satisfaction relationship. Journal of Applied Psychology,1993, 78,939–948.

    Google Scholar 

  • KLINE, M., & COWAN, P. A. Rethinking the connections among work and family well-being:A model for inve stigating e mployment and family work contexts. Journal of Social Be-haviorand Personality,1988, 23,61–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • KORNHAUSER, A. Mental health of the industrial worker. New York: Wiley, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • LAU, S. K. Utilitarianistic familism: The basis of political stability. In A. Y. C. King and R. P. L. Lee ( Eds.), Social life and development in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press, 1981, pp. 195–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • LONDON, M., CRANDALL, R., & SEALS, G. W. The contribution of job and leisure sat-isfactionto quality of life. Journ al of Applied Psychology,1977, 62,328–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • MIROWSKY, J. The psycho-e conomics of feeling underpaid: Disbutive justice and the earn-ingsof husbands and wives. American Journal of Sociology,1987, 92,1404–1434.

    Google Scholar 

  • NEAR, J., RICE, R. W., & HUNT, R. G. The relationship between work and nonwork do-mains:A review of e mpirical research. Academy of Managem ent Review,1980, 5,415–429.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'GRADY, K. E. Measures of e xplained variance: Cautions and limitations. Psychological Bul-letin,1982, 92,766–777.

    Google Scholar 

  • PERRY-JENKINS, M., & CROUTER, A. C. Men's provider-role attitudes: Implications forhousehold work and marital satisfaction. Journal of Family Issues,1990, 11,136–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • POTUCHEK, J. L. Employed wives' orientations to breadwinning: A gender theory analysis. Journal of Marriage and the Family,1992, 54,548–558.

    Google Scholar 

  • REDDING, S. G., NORMAN, A., & SCHLANDER, A. The nature of individual attachmentto the organization: A review of East Asian variations. In H. C. Triandis, M. D. Dunnette,and L. M. Hough ( Eds.), Handbook of in dustrial and organizational psychology(Vol. 4). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1994, pp. 647–688.

    Google Scholar 

  • REITZES, D. C., & MUTRAN, E. J. Multiple roles and identities: Factors influencing self-esteem among middle-aged working men and women. Social Psychology Quarterly,1994,57,313–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • RICE, R. M., NEAR, J. P., & HUNT, R. G. The job satisfaction ¯ life satisfaction relationship:A re view of empirical research. Journal of Applied Social Psychology,1980, 1,37–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • RICE, R. M., FRONE, M. R., & McFARLIN, D. B. Work ¯ nonwork conflict and the perceivedquality of life. Journal of Organizational Behavior,1992, 13,155–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • SEKARAN, U. Factors influencing the quality of life in dual-caree r families. Journal of Oc-cupationalPsychology,1983, 56,161–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • STAINES, G. L., POTTICK, K. J., & FUDGE, D. A. Wives' e mployment and husbands'attitudes toward work and life. Journal of Applied Psychology,1986, 71,118–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • STRYKER, S., & SERPE, R. T. Identity salience and psychological centrality: Equivalent, overlapping, or complementary concepts? Social Psychology Quarterly,1994, 57,16–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • THOITS, P. A. On me rging identity theory and stress rese arch. Social Psychology Quarterly,1991, 54,101–102.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aryee, S. An Examination of the Moderating Influence of Breadwinner Role Salience on the Pay Life Satisfaction Relationship. Human Relations 52, 1279–1290 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016960414277

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016960414277

Navigation