Peer Communication Relationships and Psychological Climate Christie M. Odden and Patricia M. Sias This study examined the association betiveen psychological clitnate and the types of communication relationships employees form with their peers. 194 teachers com- pleted a questionnaire measuring psychological climate. They also reported their proportions of information, collegial and special peer relationships. Perceptions of the organization's climate were associated with the types of communication relationships employees form with their peers. These associations were moderated, in part, by gender, suggesting that men and women differ significantly in the ways they approach friendships at work. Implications of these findings are discussed. KEY CONCEPTS Peer communication relationships, psychological climate, organizational climate, gender, supervisor consideration. Christie M. Odden (M.A., Washington State University, 1995) Edward R. Murrow School of Communication, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2520. Patricia M. Sias (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 1993) is an Assistant Professor, Edward R. Murrow School of Communication, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2520. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 1996 Speech Commumcation Association convention in San Diego, California. This research was conducted as part of the senior author's master's thesis completed at Washington State University under the direction of Patricia M. Sias. M any scholars recognize the importance of peer communication relationships in the workplace (e.g.. Bridge and Baxter, 1992; Porter and Roberts, 1973). Although Kram and Isabella (1985) identified various types of peer relationships, extant research has failed to examine the organizational attributes associated with the development of these relationships. As Kram and Isabella (1985) suggest, "Such insights would provide individuals with an increased understanding of their own peer relationships, and would enable organizations to create conditions that encourage the formation of supportive peer relationships among its members" (p. 130). Open systems theory views organizations as dynamic systems existing in larger supra systems (e.g., the extra-organizational environment) and made up of several subsystems or elements (e.g., departments, units, workgroups, interpersonal relation- ships, and individuals). A key concept of systems theory is that of interdependence - - all elements of a system affect one another. As Watzlawick, Beavin and Jackson (1968) explain " . . . a system behaves not as a simple composite of independent Communication Quarterly, Vol. 45,No 3, Summer 1997, Pages 153-166