Does the love of money moderate and mediate the income‐pay satisfaction relationship?

This research examines the love of money as a moderator and as a mediator of the self‐reported income‐pay satisfaction relationship among university professors (lecturers). Hierarchical multiple regression results showed that the interaction effect between self‐reported income and the love of money on pay satisfaction was significant. For high‐love‐of‐money professors (lecturers), the relationship between income and pay satisfaction was positive and significant, however, for low‐love‐of‐money professors (lecturers), the relationship was not significant. High‐love‐of‐money participants had lower pay satisfaction than low‐love‐of‐money participants when the self‐reported income was below $89,139.53. When income was higher than $89,139.53, the pattern of pay satisfaction was reversed. Further, the love of money was a mediator of the self‐reported income‐pay satisfaction relationship. Income increases the love of money that, in turn, is used as a “frame of reference” to evaluate pay satisfaction.