The Role of Optimism-pessimism in Anticipatory Psychological Contract Formation

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to examine the role of optimism and pessimism as individual characteristics in anticipatory psychological contract formation. Participants were 181 final year university students (psychology and medicine) from Macedonia and Serbia without formal work expirience. Two questionnaires were administered during their regular classes to assess APC and optimism-pessimism. Hierarchical linear regression was used for data analysis. Results demonstrated that participants' country as a control variable significantly predicted beliefs about relational employee contributions and beliefs about relational and transactional employer inducements. Optimism significantly predicted beliefs about relational employer inducements. Pessimism was significant predictor of beliefs about relational employee contributions and beliefs about relational employer inducements as elements in anticipatory psychological contract (ACP) content. Future studies should be extended among students from different study groups and take into consideration other individual characteristics.