D: Context

Question 1

7. Job control and social aspects of work

Job Control

Answer 1

• Terms: job control, job autonomy, empowerment, job decision latitude, participative management and decision authority
• Important because: motivation, reduce strains due to stressors, satisfy a human higher-order need for control, learn new things and become more competent
• Control beliefs= trait-like characteristic of person (internal locus of control, efficacy beliefs)

Question 2

General trends

Answer 2

• Most ppl want some control
• Control positive for well being and job performance
• But not every employee wants same amount of control/ there are boundaries

Question 3

Social aspects of work

Answer 3

• Ppl can both be helpful and harmful
• Social stressors can cause physical and emotional problems
• Individual differences in handling stressors
• Social support important
• Support must be provided skillfully side effects (social dept, self esteem…)

Question 4

The social meaning of conditions at work

Answer 4

• Social meaning= acts like helping etc, can be interpreted as good or bad
• Social meaning of conditions at work depends on individual and culture
• Knowing social meaning of one’s action might help avoid hurting

Conclusions: social support can be instrumental or emotional. Job control and social support= most important characteristics of work environment

Question 5

8. Recovery from demanding work hours

Theories of effort and recovery

Answer 5

• Stress responses manifested psychological, physiological and behavioral
• Body: SAM (sympathetic-adrenaline-medullary system)=catecholamines, direct cardiovascular activation, HPA= cortisol, extra energy to deal with stress
• Stress recovery better predictor of ill health than stress reactivity (during stress)
• Effort-recovery theory: sufficient day-to-day recovery from work effort is crucial for health/performance
• Allostatic load theory: chronic exposure to stressors and incomplete recovery results in chronic disease due to malfunctioning allostatic system

Question 6

Prolonged work hours recovery

Answer 6

• Overtime work= hours on top of contract
• Long work hours= equal/exceed 48 h/week
• Working time regulations
• Prolonged working hours hamper recovery by inducing 1. Prolonged effort and reduced recovery time, 2.Resource depletion (prolonged taxing of same resource). 3. Work-home conflict
• Prolonged working hours alter lifestyle
• Health risk
• Moderately long working hours: depends on circumstances

Question 7

Abnormal work hours recovery

Answer 7

• Most work force abnormal working hours
• Can disrupt circardian rhythmicity
• May have negative effects on sleep, health, etc
• Number of consecutive shifts etc.

Question 8

Recovery during and after working hours

Answer 8

• Recovery during work (internal recovery), recovery at home (external recovery)
• External: evenings, weekends, vacation
• Active and passive recovery
• Work time control (WTC)  when to work
• Boundaryless work WTC, where to work

Question 9

9. The design and use of work technologies

Answer 9

• Multidisciplinary, system-based perspective on design and use of work technology

Question 10

Socio-technical systems theory

Answer 10

• STST: balance needed between technical design of systems and the work (social) system in which technology will be used
• Guiding principles

Question 11

Adaptive structuration theory

Answer 11

• Structure, context and use over time
Conclusions: technology can be good or bad, study of impact of technology and post implementation is important, high number of failures to introduce technology