Core self-evaluations (CSE) represent a stable personality trait which encompasses an individual's subconscious, fundamental evaluations about themselves, their own abilities and their own control.
The concept of core self-evaluations was first examined by Judge, Locke, and Durham (1997)[1][2] and involves four personality dimensions: locus of control, neuroticism, generalized self-efficacy, and self-esteem.
These relationships have inspired increasing amounts of research on core self-evaluations and suggest valuable implications about the importance this trait may have for organizations.
Acknowledging this disparity, core self-evaluations were developed in an effort to increase exploration of the dispositional approach to job satisfaction.
[1] While investigating the dispositional model, Judge et al. (1997)[1] reasoned that the traits most likely to predict job satisfaction would maintain three important characteristics: evaluation-focused, fundamental, and large in scope.
Using the above characteristics, four well studied personality traits; locus of control, neuroticism, generalized self-efficacy, and self-esteem, were chosen as possible dispositional predictors of job satisfaction.
[1][4][10][19][20] In fact, when Judge et al. (1997)[1] developed the construct of core self-evaluations, they did so in an effort to identify a valid dispositional predictor of job satisfaction.
In response, subsequent literature began to examine the influence of a variety of other constructs on the relationship between core self-evaluations and job satisfaction.
[22] These characteristics play an important role in influencing the relationship between an individual's core self-evaluations and their satisfaction with their job.
[1] According to this model, those with high core-self evaluations will be more likely to seek out job environments that allow them to make positive conclusions about their work.
This study found that task significance had the strongest influence on the relationship between core self-evaluations and job satisfaction.
Using the perception mediation model, this suggests that people high in core self-evaluations will perceive their job as more important to others and, therefore, will be more satisfied.
It could be that people high in core self-evaluation are attracted to more complex jobs because they see an opportunity for greater intrinsic rewards.
A person who chooses a non-self-concordant goal will focus on avoiding negative emotions (e.g., anxiety or guilt), satisfying someone else's wishes, or on external rewards, like money.
The authors explain that individuals with positive self-regard (i.e. high core self-evaluations) believe themselves to be capable and competent and will be less likely to be affected by external factors; thus, they will be more likely to choose self-concordant goals, which will lead to higher satisfaction.
This last theory stems from intuitions made about core self-evaluations from previous connections found in literature.
For example, literature has connected the construct of positive self-concept, an idea similar to core self-evaluations, to the ability to cope well with organizational change.
[30] Furthermore, individual core self-evaluation traits like emotional stability have been linked to job performance in team settings (Mount, Barrick, & Stewart, 1995 as cited in[30]).
[31] These findings support the possibility that high core self-evaluations could indicate a person who has the ability to cope well with organizational change, to work well in groups, and to display positive emotions, all of which contribute to better performance.
[27][29] Previous literature suggests that those with negative self-appraisals (low CSE) will see a difficult task and determine that it is beyond their capabilities or out of their control, thus unmanageable.
Consistently, it has been found that people with high core self-evaluations are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and with their lives in general than those who have low core-self evaluations.
[4][14][26] Individuals who appraise themselves positively (i.e., have high core self-evaluations) are more likely to cope actively with job stress situations.
Individuals with low core self-evaluations will consistently feel that they are unable to handle work tasks because they lack the ability or control.
[34] Judge and Hurst (2007)[36] conducted a longitudinal study that assessed core self-evaluations in relation to income level in individuals as young adults and later as they entered mid-life.
Furthermore, the authors assessed the role core self-evaluations may play in moderating the established relationship between family socioeconomic status and individual's academic achievement as predictors of economic success later in life.
[36] The authors explain that individuals high in core self-evaluations cope better with events and situations they encounter in life and are motivated to consistently increase their performance and thus, are more likely to capitalize on the educational and financial advantages they already possess in young adulthood.
[37] Women raised with an authoritarian parenting style developed negative core self-evaluations, which caused them greater difficulty in making a career decision later in life.
Although CSE is generally thought to be a positive trait, hyper-CSE (i.e., very high levels of core self-evaluations) can lead to negative outcomes.
[1] For this reason, it is difficult to empirically test the CSE trait and its subconscious effect on locus of control, neuroticism, self-esteem, and generalized self-efficacy.
[47] Previous studies have theorized that CSE is an underlying (i.e., latent) trait that explains the relationship between locus of control, neuroticism, self-efficacy, and self-esteem.