Undergraduates’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Role of Religiosity

The paper examines the role of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity as predictors of organizational citizenship behavior (OCBO and OCBI) among a group of Malaysian undergraduates. The study is quantitative and cross-sectional in nature. The unit of analysis is individual. Survey questionnaires that contained measures of religiosity and OCB were distributed using convenience sampling. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS. Multiple regression analyses were used to test the study hypotheses. Respondents reported to exhibit high levels of OCB and practiced their religion. Intrinsic religiosity was a significant predictor of OCBO, whereas extrinsic religiosity was a significant predictor of OCBI. Data collected was self-reported and cross-sectional in nature. Thus, same-source bias may be present. Second, the sample size was small and selected from a single organization. This affects the generalization of our findings. Future research project should also use other measures of religiosity and OCB and also examine a sample of multiple religions. This study provides higher learning institutions’ administrators with some guideline on how to promote OCB among students. This study is significant for at least two reasons. First, this study is among the limited number of studies examining the relationship between religiosity and OCB. Second, the present study focuses on the variables, which concerned behaviors of ‘real-world’ significance. If religiosity and OCB can be reinforced in advance, we will be able to develop better future employees.