Relationship Quality and Relationship Context as Antecedents of Person- and Task-Focused Interpersonal Citizenship Behavior Randall P. Settoon Southeastern Louisiana University Kevin W. Mossholder Louisiana State University A model hypothesizing relationship quality and relationship context as antecedents of two complemen- tary forms of interpersonal citizenship behavior (ICB) was tested. Measures with coworkers as the frame of reference were used to collect data from 273 individuals working in 2 service-oriented organizations. As hypothesized, variables reflecting relationship quality were associated with person-focused ICB, as mediated by empathic concern. Also as hypothesized, a relationship context variable, network centrality, exhibited a direct relationship with task-focused ICB. Unexpectedly, network centrality was directly associated with person-focused ICB, and empathic concern was associated with task-focused ICB. The results are discussed, and implications for research and practice are offered. In a review of the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) literature, Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, and Bachrach (2000) suggested that future research and theory development effort should be directed toward identifying unique antecedents of dif- ferent forms of citizenship behavior. Researchers have noted that organizational citizenship comprises several characteristically dif- ferent though related types of behaviors and that employees may selectively choose among these rather than engage equally in all (Motowidlo, 2000; Organ, 1997; Van Dyne, Cummings, & McLean-Parks, 1995). Further, it has been suggested that types of OCB can be categorized according to the intended primary bene- ficiary or target of the behavior (Williams & Anderson, 1991). Of late, construct clarification efforts (Coleman & Borman, 2000) and empirical research (S. E. Anderson & Williams, 1996) have di- rected attention at citizenship behavior oriented toward coworkers and immediate others, perhaps because of the role of interpersonal responsiveness in management practices such as self-directed work teams, decentralized decision making, and empowerment. Such behavior can contribute to increased productivity (Conway, 1999) and may serve as a viable means of coordinating activities between employees (Podsakoff, Ahearne, & MacKenzie, 1997). It has been suggested that several current psychological models are insufficient for understanding behaviors that are primarily intended to help other individuals (Korsgaard, Meglino, & Lester, 1997). Although it is within the confines of interpersonal relation- ships that some forms of citizenship behavior most frequently occur, with few exceptions (e.g., McAllister, 1995) researchers have not considered them within a relational framework. Also, as noted by Podsakoff et al. (2000), research examining citizenship behavior in connection with the task environment has been notice- ably absent. To address these research gaps, in the present study we examined two complementary forms of interpersonal citizen- ship behavior (ICB), person- and task-focused ICB, and propose a model comprising antecedents that are particularly salient in con- nection with these forms of ICB. In this regard, previous research has suggested two categories of antecedents, which we refer to as relationship quality and relation- ship context, that may be linked to ICB. More specifically, ICB has been found to be an outcome of high-quality relationships that promote mutual concern and an increased sensitivity to the needs of others (e.g., McAllister, 1995). Alternatively, ICB may be the result of “opportunity structures” created by social and workflow systems in the organization (S. E. Anderson & Williams, 1996; Lamertz, 1999). It has long been recognized that some individuals are more able to provide assistance than others because they are in a better position to do so (Burke, Duncan, & Weir, 1976). Certain individuals help more often because they are integral to the work- flow, possess necessary expertise, or are simply more available in a physical or temporal sense. In sum, we propose a model that links relationship quality and relationship context to person- and task-focused ICB. Person- and Task-Focused ICB ICB has been investigated under various guises including altru- ism (Organ, 1988; Smith, Organ, & Near, 1983), interpersonal helping (Moorman & Blakely, 1995), OCB-I (Williams & Ander- son, 1991), helping coworkers (George & Brief, 1992), helping and cooperating with others (Borman & Motowidlo, 1997), and interpersonal facilitation (Van Scotter & Motowidlo, 1996). From a conceptual viewpoint, these different types of ICB are similar in that they involve cooperative assistance for individuals in need. Underscoring their importance to organizations, these behaviors have been found to be associated with the quantity and quality of Randall P. Settoon, Department of Management, Southeastern Louisi- ana University; Kevin W. Mossholder, Department of Management, Lou- isiana State University. We thank Jeffrey LePine and Marcia Simmering for their comments on an earlier version of this article. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Randall P. Settoon, Department of Management, Southeastern Louisiana Univer- sity, Hammond, Louisiana 70402. E-mail: rsettoon@selu.edu Journal of Applied Psychology Copyright 2002 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 2002, Vol. 87, No. 2, 255–267 0021-9010/02/$5.00 DOI: 10.1037//0021-9010.87.2.255 255