MACHIAVELLIANISM, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PRINCIPALS' OCCUPATIONAL STRESS (JOB SATISFACTION)
Abstract
This study explored the interaction of high school principals' degrees of Machiavellianism and their school's organizational structure with their experience of occupational stress. It was expected that high Machiavellians would experience more stress in tightly structured situations, while low Machiavellians would experience more stress in loosely structured situations. Principals in New York City, Westchester County and northern New Jersey responded to a questionnaire and subsequently participated in a structured interview. The questionnaire included: the Mach V scale, which measured Machiavellianism: two components of the Job Description Index (work and co-worker satisfaction) which measured aspects of occupational stress: and a Principal Stress Inventory List, which assessed administrative areas that principals found problematic, and a Principals' Questionnaire, which obtained demographic data. The interview asked principals to respond to a List of Decision Areas/Indicators of Organizational Structure, an Organizational Structure Questionnaire, and an Administrative Time Schedule. Multiple regression analyses did not confirm the hypotheses, but indicated the following: (1) high Machiavellian high school principals experienced greater work satisfaction in tightly structured school organizations; (2) high Machiavellian principals were more dissatisfied with co-workers; and (3) high Machiavellian principals experienced greater problems with administrative constraints. The interview data revealed that satisfied principals expressed more feelings of control, commitment, and challenge than dissatisfied principals. In general, principals in schools which had less than 1,500 students were lower in Machiavellianism and also experienced less stress. The relationship between school size and experienced stress suggested that Machiavellianism may be a response to current problems faced by high school principals, rather than being solely an enduring personality characteristic. Finally, the interviews suggested the need for reevaluation of the Machiavellian character trait. Previous studies of Machiavellianism have often focused only on manipulativeness, without recognizing high Machiavellians' commitment to long term goals. It appears that it is the belief in their effectiveness and their ability to make good use of other human and environmental resources that helps them in reaching these goals. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)
Subject Area
Social psychology
Recommended Citation
JELLINEK, ROBERTA, "MACHIAVELLIANISM, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PRINCIPALS' OCCUPATIONAL STRESS (JOB SATISFACTION)" (1985). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8508118.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8508118
