Does perceived supervisor support mediate the relationship between perceived organizational support and organizational citizenship behavior

The purpose of this study was to examine whether perceived supervisor support (PSS) mediates the relationship between perceived organizational support (POS) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Based on organizational support theory, I assumed that higher levels of perceived organizational support lead to higher levels of perceived supervisor support, and perceived supervisor and organizational support are more positively related to organizational citizenship behavior towards the organization and the job than citizenship behavior towards the individual. Last, I assumed that perceived supervisor support mediates the relationship between perceived organizational support and all three types of citizenship behavior studied here. The study involved 168 employees from various companies and positions, who worked under the supervision of someone (e.g., a manager) and filled in an online questionnaire. Based on the assumptions, I found that organizational support is a positive predictor of supervisor support and citizenship behavior towards the organization and the job. On the other hand, organizational support was not related to citizenship towards the individual. Moreover, supervisor support was not related to any citizenship behavior type, and it did not mediate the relationship between organizational support and citizenship towards the individual, the organization, or the job. The study contributes to the literature since it examines a mediation model that can shed more light on the relationship between different forms of support and citizenship behaviors. Last, it tests if organizational support is an antecedent of supervisor support, and how different forms of antecedents enhance different forms of citizenship.