Emotional Intelligence, Self-Esteem, and Organizational Commitment: The Role of Extraversion Personality Trait in a Moderated Mediation Analysis

This study investigates whether self-esteem functions as a mediator influenced by the personality trait of extraversion in the relationship between emotional intelligence and organizational commitment within public sector organizations. A total of 196 employees from two local authorities in Peninsular Malaysia were selected through systematic random sampling. Validated instruments were used to measure emotional intelligence, self-esteem, extraversion, and organizational commitment. Data were analysed using hierarchical regression and bootstrapping to test for moderated mediation effects. The findings confirm that emotional intelligence significantly predicts organizational commitment, reinforcing its role as a vital psychological asset in the workplace. However, the interaction effects between emotional intelligence and extraversion, as well as between self-esteem and extraversion, were not statistically significant. This suggests that self-esteem operates as an independent mediator, unaffected by extraversion levels. These results challenge conventional assumptions that personality traits must moderate psychological pathways in organizational behavior. Instead, they highlight the autonomous influence of emotional intelligence and self-esteem in shaping employee attitudes. The study offers practical implications for human resource development, advocating for interventions that prioritize emotional and psychological growth over personality profiling. In emotionally demanding work environments, fostering emotional intelligence and self-worth may be key to sustaining employee commitment and organizational resilience.