Job- and Person-Related Antecedents of Positive and Negative Cognitive–Affective Involvement in Work During Leisure Time: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

Employees are increasingly involved in work during their leisure time through positive and negative cognitions and emotions (e.g., think positively, feel enthusiastic, ruminate, or worry about work). The so-called positive cognitive–affective involvement may increase work-related well-being, whereas negative cognitive–affective involvement may result in impaired work-related well-being. Although there is evidence on the (work-related) consequences of positive and negative cognitive–affective involvement, the job-related (i.e., job autonomy) and person-related (i.e., cognitive flexibility) antecedents of cognitive–affective involvement are less understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the interactive effects of job autonomy as a job-related antecedent and cognitive flexibility as a person-related antecedent on positive and negative cognitive–affective involvement and on subsequent work-related well-being (i.e., work engagement, emotional exhaustion, cynicism). Using a three-wave time-separated study design, we collected data from 357 employees. Results from structural equationmodeling revealed that cognitive flexibility strengthens the relationships between job autonomy and both positive and negative cognitive–affective involvement. Moreover, cognitive flexibility moderates the indirect effects of job autonomy on work-related well-being via positive and negative cognitive–affective involvement. Overall, the findings advance scholarly knowledge about the antecedents and outcomes of positive and negative cognitive–affective involvement.