Researchers have typically overlooked the possibility that responses to job attitude items might be produced “on the spot” using information that is temporally accessible to participants. In the current study, the authors test this possibility by examining context effects that occur when questionnaire content influences responses to subsequent survey items. Using data collected from employed students, the authors conducted three experiments that provide evidence that responses to job attitude measures are sensitive to context effects. Specifically, asking participants to think about either positive aspects or negative aspects of their jobs/organizations influenced subsequent responses to job attitudes items. Further analyses suggested that some effects of context manipulations on job attitudes were mediated by participant mood. The authors conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.
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