Keywords
wildlife law enforcement, conservation, policing, self-legitimacy, job satisfaction, criminal justice
Abstract
Job attitudes of rangers play a key role in the implementation and effectiveness of conservation initiatives. As such, scholars have begun to examine the attitudes rangers hold towards their role, organization, and external working environment. However, little is known about work motivation among rangers. Work motivation is a key predictor of employee performance, job attitudes, and well-being. The relationship between work motivation and ranger occupational attitudes may offer insight that conservation agencies can leverage to improve positive job attitudes. Guided by self-determination theory and the criminal justice literature, this study examines the relationship between ranger work motivation and attitudes towards self-legitimacy, job satisfaction, and turnover intent. Using survey data collected from a large, international sample of rangers, path analysis is employed to calculate the effects of different forms of work motivation on job attitudes. Results indicate that autonomous motivation (i.e., intrinsic and identified regulation) are significantly and positively associated with ranger perceptions of self-legitimacy and job satisfaction. Additionally, job satisfaction is significantly and negatively associated with turnover intent. Implications include organizational strategies for enhancing autonomous motivation, such as managerial autonomy support as well as implementing organizational justice in the workplace in both ranger and broader policing contexts. Future research should account for the role of work motivation when examining occupational attitudes and consider integrating self-determined work motivation into existing theories.
Completion Date
2024
Semester
Summer
Committee Chair
Moreto, William
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
College
College of Community Innovation and Education
Department
Criminal Justice
Degree Program
Criminal Justice
Format
application/pdf
Identifier
DP0028538
URL
https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0028538
Language
English
Release Date
8-15-2024
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Access Status
Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Elligson, Richard L. Jr, "Work Motivation and Occupational Attitudes: An Application of Self-Determination Theory Among Rangers" (2024). Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024. 333.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2023/333
Accessibility Status
Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs