A Study About the Presence of Mindfulness in the Workplace. How
Does It Affect Job Satisfaction Considering Neuroticism and
Conscientiousness?
Bachelor thesis
Name: Aimée Arp
Student number: 12669547
Programme: Business administration, management in the digital age
Institution: University of Amsterdam
Supervisor: Olga Kowalska
Date of submission: 30/06/2022
, Statement of originality
This document is written by Aimée Arp, who declares to take full responsibility for the contents
of this document. I declare that the text and the work presented in this document are original
and that no sources other than those mentioned in the text and its references have been used in
creating it. UvA Economics and Business is responsible solely for the supervision of
completion of the work and submission, not for the contents.
2
, Abstract
This research wants to investigate the relationships between 2 out of 5 personality traits from
the Big Five model by Goldberg (1990) in the work context, namely between neuroticism and
job satisfaction and between conscientiousness and job satisfaction. The point of interest is to
see if mindfulness as a personality trait acts like a mediator in these relationships. Job
satisfaction is important for working individuals, both managers and lower level employees,
which is going to be discussed in the paper. This topic is interesting as the relationships between
mindfulness and the big five have not been placed in the work context much and this research,
therefore, wants to fill that research gap and give new insights for how these variables act when
using the outcome variable job satisfaction. This research uses a cross-sectional survey design
in order to gather data which is analyzed using linear regression analyses and macro PROCESS
by Hayes (2018) for the mediation models. This research found a mediating effect of
mindfulness in the relationship between conscientiousness and job satisfaction. However, the
mediating effect of mindfulness in the relationship between neuroticism and job satisfaction
was not found. Implications and suggestions for further research are discussed in the paper.
3
, Table of contents
1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………5
2. Theoretical Framework ………………………………………………………..6
3.1 Neuroticism, Conscientiousness and Job Satisfaction ……………….6
3.2 Neuroticism, Conscientiousness and Mindfulness …………………..8
3.3 Mindfulness and Job Satisfaction…………………………………… 9
3. Methods ………………………………………………………………………12
3.1 Research Design ………………………………………………..…..12
3.2 Sampling …………………………………………………….…….12
3.3 Procedure ……………………………………………………….…12
3.4 Measurements ……………………………………………….….....13
3.5 Analytical Plan ………………………………………………….....14
4. Results …………………………………………………………………………14
5. Discussion ………………………………………………………………….….19
5.1 Results …………………………………………………………..…19
5.2 Limitations ……………………………………………………….....20
5.3 Implications ………………………………………………………....22
5.4 Suggestions for Further Research …………………………………..22
7. Conclusion …………………………………………………………………….…24
8. Literature List ………………………………………………………………......24
9. Appendices ……………………………………………………………………...27
4
Does It Affect Job Satisfaction Considering Neuroticism and
Conscientiousness?
Bachelor thesis
Name: Aimée Arp
Student number: 12669547
Programme: Business administration, management in the digital age
Institution: University of Amsterdam
Supervisor: Olga Kowalska
Date of submission: 30/06/2022
, Statement of originality
This document is written by Aimée Arp, who declares to take full responsibility for the contents
of this document. I declare that the text and the work presented in this document are original
and that no sources other than those mentioned in the text and its references have been used in
creating it. UvA Economics and Business is responsible solely for the supervision of
completion of the work and submission, not for the contents.
2
, Abstract
This research wants to investigate the relationships between 2 out of 5 personality traits from
the Big Five model by Goldberg (1990) in the work context, namely between neuroticism and
job satisfaction and between conscientiousness and job satisfaction. The point of interest is to
see if mindfulness as a personality trait acts like a mediator in these relationships. Job
satisfaction is important for working individuals, both managers and lower level employees,
which is going to be discussed in the paper. This topic is interesting as the relationships between
mindfulness and the big five have not been placed in the work context much and this research,
therefore, wants to fill that research gap and give new insights for how these variables act when
using the outcome variable job satisfaction. This research uses a cross-sectional survey design
in order to gather data which is analyzed using linear regression analyses and macro PROCESS
by Hayes (2018) for the mediation models. This research found a mediating effect of
mindfulness in the relationship between conscientiousness and job satisfaction. However, the
mediating effect of mindfulness in the relationship between neuroticism and job satisfaction
was not found. Implications and suggestions for further research are discussed in the paper.
3
, Table of contents
1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………5
2. Theoretical Framework ………………………………………………………..6
3.1 Neuroticism, Conscientiousness and Job Satisfaction ……………….6
3.2 Neuroticism, Conscientiousness and Mindfulness …………………..8
3.3 Mindfulness and Job Satisfaction…………………………………… 9
3. Methods ………………………………………………………………………12
3.1 Research Design ………………………………………………..…..12
3.2 Sampling …………………………………………………….…….12
3.3 Procedure ……………………………………………………….…12
3.4 Measurements ……………………………………………….….....13
3.5 Analytical Plan ………………………………………………….....14
4. Results …………………………………………………………………………14
5. Discussion ………………………………………………………………….….19
5.1 Results …………………………………………………………..…19
5.2 Limitations ……………………………………………………….....20
5.3 Implications ………………………………………………………....22
5.4 Suggestions for Further Research …………………………………..22
7. Conclusion …………………………………………………………………….…24
8. Literature List ………………………………………………………………......24
9. Appendices ……………………………………………………………………...27
4
