COGNITIVE CYNICISM AND AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT IN UNIVERSITIES IN KOGI STATE: MEDIATING ROLE OF WORK-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE

The study empirically examined the mediating role of work-related quality of life on the relationship between cognitive cynicism and affective commitment of staff in selected universities Kogi State, Nigeria.To achieve the objectives, the population of the study was made up of all staff of the four selected universities in Kogi (Federal University Lokoja, Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, Confluence University of Science and Technology, and Salem University). Guilford and Fruchter (1973) formula was used to draw up approximately 357 sample size from the entire population. Structured questionnaire, having been subjected to reliability test, was used to collect the needed information from the respondents. The information elicited from the respondents were analysed with descriptive statistics and regression analysis using SPSS version 26. It was discovered that the university staff exhibited noticeable levels of cognitive cynicism dimensions amongst staff of the universities in Kogi. It also found a moderate affective commitment among staff indicating while staff maintain some emotional attachment to their institution, while the perceptions of Quality of Work Life were also moderate, reflecting mixed experiences regarding working conditions, welfare provisions, work life balance, and organizational support. The study revealed a negative relationship between the cognitive cynicism and the affective commitment of staff but, the quality of life revealed a significant positive relationship between the organizational cynicism and affective commitment of staff of universities in Kogi state. The study recommends that the management of institutions should promote organizational transparency, improve quality of work-life, encourage staff participation, strengthen supportive leadership, provide timely recognition and fair reward systems. The study also recommends that, improvement in quality of work life reduces the effects of cynicism on affective commitment