Do Individual Needs Moderate the Relationships between Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Organizational Trust and Perceived Organizational Support?

The functional approach to human behavior is used to study the impact of intrinsic motivators of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Specifically, McClelland’s needs for affiliation, achievement, and power are investigated as possible moderators in the relationship between OCB and organizational trust and perceived organizational support (POS). Survey data from 700 employees were analyzed using regression analysis. Results indicate the need for achievement and the need for power moderate the relationships between OCB and organizational trust and POS but in an unexpected manner. This study is significant because it enhances our understanding of what motivates OCB.