Environmental and Intrapersonal Predictors of Reactions to Potential Territorial Intrusions in the Workplace

Abstract

In a study of workplace territoriality, environmental and intrapersonal factors were posited to be predictive of workers' reactions to potential workspace invasions. Clerical and secretarial workers from two midsize universities and from four small nonuniversity workplaces (combined into one sample) completed a questionnaire regarding reactions to potential workspace invasions. Results from regression analyses indicated that for ail three samples, predictors of negative reactions to potential workspace invasions were (a) the dagree to which workers minded taking directions about their jobs f rom someone other than a supervisor and (b) sensitivity to personal space invasions in general. In addition, resistance to a permanent workspace change predicted invasion reactions for both university groups, whereas having fewer co-workers sharing an office predicted invasion reactions for nonuniversity workers. Results are discussed in terms of control models of territoriality. Application of the results to workplace settings is also briefly discussed.

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