A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF THE CORRELATIONAL IMPACT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL ON JOB SEARCH INTENSITY AS MEASURED BY JOB SEARCH BEHAVIORS

High levels of unemployment have resulted from the recent economic downturn. Job search related research has been limited with respect to the impact of psychological capacities in relation to job search intensity. The purpose of this non-experimental quantitative study was to test the theory of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) that relates PsyCap to preparatory and active job search behaviors. This study focused on active job searchers receiving outplacement services at an international organization for outplacement services. Two research hypotheses were tested: the four subscales of the psychological capital assessment do predict preparatory job search behaviors and the four subscales of the psychological capital assessment do predict active job search behaviors. The findings from an analysis of the results from this study did not provide results that were statistically significant in support of the first hypothesis. The results from the second hypothesis, however, reflected statistical significance in support of the second hypothesis. This study expands the research on positivity as it relates to job search intensity and contributes to the field of Organization and Management by analyzing the impact of PsyCap on job search intensity. The identification of job searchers’ PsyCap provides an opportunity to expand on the theoretical framework of positive psychology as it relates to the reemployment process. PsyCap is also “developable” (Luthans & Youssef, 2007), which provides a basis for unemployment consultants in strengthening job searchers’ overall PsyCap and increasing their intensity levels. This strengthening of job searcher PsyCap should facilitate faster return to employment.