The construct validity of conceptual and operational definitions of contextual performance and related constructs

A number of theorists and researchers have distinguished between the constructs of task performance (i.e., non-discretionary work behaviors) and contextual performance (CP), as well as the related constructs of organizational citizenship behavior, prosocial behavior, and extra-role behavior. In addition, measures of CP have been used in a large number of studies that have attempted to show both their validity and utility. However, an analysis of the conceptual and operational definitions of the CP reveals a number of serious construct validity problems. For example, items in extant CP measures index what are typically regarded as required (non-discretionary) work behaviors. Thus, we describe several CP-related construct validity problems, and illustrate their nature using data from a sample of 98 job descriptions from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and the online Occupational Information Network. The same data showed that behaviors that are generally viewed as representative of CP are frequently regarded as being exemplars of task performance. The important implications of the confounding of task performance and CP constructs are considered.