Testing the discriminant validity of a four‐dimensional occupational commitment measure

Building on prior work by Blau (2001a, 2001b, 2003) , the results of this study provided some support for a 4‐dimensional measure of occupational commitment ‐ that is, affective, normative and 2 dimensions of continuance commitment, accumulated costs and limited alternatives. Overall, affective commitment showed a stronger relationship to professional withdrawal intentions and to a lesser extent, professional development activities. Accumulated costs interacted with normative commitment such that there was a significant negative relationship of normative commitment to subsequent withdrawal intentions for low accumulated costs. Limited alternatives interacted with normative commitment in a similar way, such that there was a significant negative relationship of normative commitment to subsequent withdrawal intentions for low limited alternatives. However, the similarity of such interactive results, combined with the generally equivalent correlational results of accumulated costs and limited alternatives to other study variables, leads to the alternative speculation that a 1‐factor measure for continuance occupational commitment may be sufficient.