Meaning in military service among reservists: Measuring the effect of prosocial motivation in a moderated-mediation model

Abstract

IntroductionThe meaningful commitment to serve one’s country and the desire to defend others make military service unique compared to other human activities. This is especially true for the army reservists who are typically working in the civilian labor market and serving military for the short-term military training or military missions only. As scholars provide limited insights into the effects and influences of prosocial motivation on meaning in military service, this study contributes to the understanding of direct, mediated, and moderated processes which link prosocial motivation to meaning in military service among reservists. Specifically, the objective of this study was to examine both direct and indirect pathways interconnecting prosocial motivation and meaning in military service. The former is analyzed as a direct effect, while the latter includes the effects of role fit within the military environment, the soldiers’ self-efficacy, as well as the socio-moral climate of military organization—that is, a variable making military service an exceptional activity.MethodsThis study followed a quantitative method analysis by utilizing a hierarchical regression analysis which revealed direct, moderating, and mediating links between the variables. The analysis was based on a sample of 375 soldiers from the Active Reserve of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and the data were collected before and after training exercises in one military unit (repeated measures). The effects on providing meaning to military service were evaluated using the following: Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale, Prosocial Motivation Scale, Motivation at Work Scale, and Socio-Moral Climate Scale. Prosocial motivation assumes meaning in military service among reservists through different, yet related, pathways.Results and discussionThe direct pathway confirmed that reserve soldiers with higher levels of prosocial motivation experience a higher level of meaning in service. The indirect pathway indicated that role fit mediated this relationship. Following the latter, we found that prosocial motivation was a significant predictor of both role fit and meaning in military service. Finally, we confirmed the moderated-mediation effects of self-efficacy and socio-moral climate in our suggested models. The results can be used to improve training programs for reservists.

Relationships between team characteristics and soldiers’ organizational commitment and well-being: the mediating role of psychological resilience

“…The hypothesized relationships among model constructs were rigorously examined using SPSS AMOS 29v, with coefficient weights chosen to evaluate the causal relations. In accordance with the recommendations of previous scholars ( Smaliukienė et al, 2023 ), who advocate for a multipurpose methodology for assessing the adequacy of a theoretical model, the goodness of fit was assessed based on several criteria. The following criteria were employed to evaluate model fit: the probability statistic of χ 2 likelihood ratio, the Tucker and Lewis Index (TLI), the Comparative Fit Index (CFI), and the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) with related confidence intervals (CI).…”

The effect of cadet resilience on self-efficacy and professional achievement: verification of the moderated mediating effect of vocational calling

“…In addition, the internal consistency of the measurement instruments was rigorously evaluated using the Cronbach alpha coefficient, enhancing the reliability of the data collected. The hypothesized relationships between the model constructs were assessed using SPSS AMOS version 29, and the coefficient weights were selected in alignment with the recommendations of previous researchers ( Bekesiene et al, 2017a , b ; Bekesiene et al, 2022 ; Smaliukienė et al, 2023 ). These scholars have advocated for a versatile methodology to assess the appropriateness of a theoretical model.…”

“…Self-efficacy does not just impact current job performance; it also plays a significant role in influencing future organizational behavior. As a result, self-efficacy is considered a psychological variable that predicts a military personnel’s performance in the workplace and their organizational behavior ( Smaliukienė et al, 2023 ).…”

“…Within the military context, the demand for rapid decision-making and effective problem solving in high-stress situations is a recurring and formidable challenge encountered by military professionals ( Myrseth et al, 2018 ; Smaliukienė et al, 2023 ). In this crucible of pressure, the presence of strong self-efficacy emerges as a crucial psychological resource.…”

Advanced Situation Awareness: Perspectives Toward Enhancing Future Officers' Psychological Resilience Under Perceived Stress Contexts

“…The resilience paradigm has evolved over the past decades from a stable, trait-oriented approach to a process or outcomeoriented approach. Zhao et al (2020), Smaliukienė et al (2023) recently agreed on the complexity of the term and consider resilience to be a dynamic process that leads to health, adaptation, and positive working. Researchers and experts have paid close consideration to define the concept of resilience.…”