The narrative understanding of our work worlds can focus our attention on the big picture, change over time, and identity in the environment. But there is also a dark side to narrative cognition. Research warns of an association between narrative cognition and overinterpretation, overconfidence, manipulation, and even decreased performance. Organizations seeking to attract, hire, place, and retain employees for particular positions could benefit from understanding the fit and misfit of this cognitive style to different contexts. Yet relatively little attention has been given to the organizational outcomes of this important cognitive style in contrast with the more analytical style of cognition. This dissertation approaches this gap in narrative cognition research in two empirical chapte...[ Read more ]

The narrative understanding of our work worlds can focus our attention on the big picture, change over time, and identity in the environment. But there is also a dark side to narrative cognition. Research warns of an association between narrative cognition and overinterpretation, overconfidence, manipulation, and even decreased performance. Organizations seeking to attract, hire, place, and retain employees for particular positions could benefit from understanding the fit and misfit of this cognitive style to different contexts. Yet relatively little attention has been given to the organizational outcomes of this important cognitive style in contrast with the more analytical style of cognition. This dissertation approaches this gap in narrative cognition research in two empirical chapters. Chapter 2 questions the possible areas of fit and misfit for narrative thinkers within a variety of vocations and levels of seniority. In two studies, I find evidence for perceived misfit of narrative thinkers in STEM vocations and junior level roles and mixed evidence for fit within vocations focused on interpersonal interactions. Chapter 3 tests the psychological states of burned out employees by comparing paired survey and text samples. This study finds significant differences between the theoretically based phenomenon of burnout and its observed psychological states, including relationships between burnout and narrative cognition. Overall, this dissertation supports the idea that narrative cognition as contrasted with analytical cognition is associated with theoretically predicted work roles.