Johansson: Combined Measures

Question 1

Method?

Answer 1

Quasi experiment where workers defined as being at high risk of stress or in a control group

Question 2

PPs?

Answer 2

24 Swedish sawmill workers
•14 classified high risk (finishers)
•10 control (maintenance)

Question 3

Procedure?

Answer 3

• Levels of stress related hormones (adrenaline+nonadrenaline) in urine measured on work days and rest days
• records of stress-related illness+absenteeism
• self-reports of mood+alertness, caffeine+nicotine consumption

Question 4

Results?

Answer 4

• high risk finishers secreted more stress hormones on work days than rest+higher than control group
• high risk showed significantly higher levels of stress-related illness (e.g headaches)+absenteeism

Question 5

Conclusions?

Answer 5

A combination of work stressors- especially repetitiveness, machine pacing of work and high levels of responsibility- lead to chronic (long term) physiological arousal.

Question 6

Strengths and weaknesses of urine tests?

Answer 6

STRENGTHS:
•objective so no researcher bias
•supports psy as a science
•standardised

WEAKNESSES:
•doesn’t give reasons
•invasion of privacy as urine 5 times a day

Question 7

Strengths and weaknesses of body temp?

Answer 7

STRENGTHS:
•objective 
•reliable
•not as invasive 
•standardised 
•no demand characteristics 

WEAKNESSES:
•lower validity= temp may raised due to other factors e.g room temp

Question 8

Strengths and weaknesses of self-rating?

Answer 8

STRENGTHS:
•gives reasons
•can gain a large sample
•quick+non-intrusive

WEAKNESSES:
•social desirability
•physiological harm
•subjective

Question 9

Aim?

Answer 9

To measure psychological and physiological responses of stress