Lecture 7 - Engagement & Stress

Question 1

Engagement & Stress

Answer 1

Eustress v. disStress

Question 2

How should we conceptualize engagement?

Answer 2

‘‘. . . a positive, fulfilling, workrelated state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption’’?

Question 3

Studying Workplace Stress

Selye – “Father of Stress”

eustress definition

Answer 3

Defined stress as “the non-specific response of the human body to any demand made on it”

Eustress (good) vs. distress (bad)

Question 4

Psychological Consequences of Stress

Answer 4

Burnout
Extreme state of psychological strain resulting from prolonged response to chronic job stressors that exceed an individual’s resources to cope with them
Measured with Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)

Question 5

3 components of burn-out

Answer 5

Emotional exhaustion
Depersonalization
Low personal accomplishment

Emotional exhaustion
Burnout that occurs when
individuals feel emotionally
drained by work.

Depersonalization Burnout
that occurs when individuals
become hardened by their
job and tend to treat clients
or patients like objects.

Low personal
accomplishment Burnout in
which individuals feel they
cannot deal with problems
effectively and understand
or identify with others’
problems.

Question 6

Example of Moderator

Answer 6

In statistical
terms, control would be called a “moderator variable”—a variable that changes the
nature of the relationship between two other variables.

e.g. self-esteem on stress

Question 7

Psychological Stressors;

Perceived lack of control/predictability

Answer 7

Individual’s perception of control or predictability determines his/her response to the situation

Perceptions of control are related to Autonomy, which is the extent to which employees can control how and when they perform the tasks of their job

Question 8

Interpersonal conflict

Psychological Stressors

Answer 8

Negative interactions w/co-workers, supervisors, clients

Can occur when resources are scarce, employees have incompatible interests, or employees feel they are not being treated fairly

Question 9

Psychological Stressors (cont’d)

Role stressors

Answer 9

Role stressors: Result from multiple task requirements or roles of employees
Role ambiguity
Employees lack clear knowledge of expected behavior
Role conflict
Demands from different sources are incompatible
Role overload
An employee is expected to fill to many roles at once

Question 10

Psychological Stressors (cont’d)

Work-family conflict

Answer 10

Work-family conflict
When workers experience conflict between roles they fulfill at work & roles they fulfill in their personal lives

Flexible time schedules & child care becoming increasingly important

Question 11

Behavioral Consequences of Stress

Information processing

Answer 11

Information processing

Chronic stress has negative effects on memory, reaction time, accuracy, & task performance

Question 12

Physiological Consequences of Stress

Answer 12

Stressful situations cause overactivation of sympathetic nervous system (SNS), producing several kinds of stress hormones

PTSD

Question 13

Type A behavior pattern

TABP

Answer 13

Set of characteristics
exhibited
by individuals who are
engaged in a chronic
struggle to obtain an
unlimited number of
poorly defined things from
their environment in the
shortest period of
time; subcomponents
include hostility,
achievement strivings,
impatience/irritability, and
time urgency.

Question 14

Demand-Control Model

theories of stress

Answer 14

2 factors prominent in producing job stress
1. Job demands
Workload or intellectual requirements
2. Control (decision latitude)
Autonomy & discretion for using different skills

Demand–control model
A model suggesting that two
factors are prominent in
producing job stress: job
demands and individual
control; developed by
Karasek.
Job demand Component of
demand–control model that
refers to the workload or
intellectual requirements of
the job.
Job control Component of
demand–control model that
refers to a combination of
autonomy in the job and
discretion for using
different skills.

Question 15

Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ)

Answer 15

Role overload & role conflict (demands)
Skill utilization & job decision (control)
Depression, job dissatisfaction, & sleep problems (health consequences)

Question 16

Person-Environment Fit Model

Answer 16

Hypothesis: Fit between person & environment determines amount of stress that person perceives

Considers external influences like social support from family & work sources

Person-job fit vs. person-organization fit

Person–job (P–J) fit Extent
to which the skills, abilities,
and interests of an
individual are compatible
with the demands of the
job.
Person–organization
(P–O) fit Extent to which
the values of an employee
are consistent with the
values held by most others
in the organization.

Question 17

Individual Differences in Resistance to Stress

Moderators of stressor-strain relationship

Answer 17

1. Locus of control (LOC)
   Belief of individuals that what happens to them is under their control
2. Hardiness
   Set of personality characteristics that provide resistance to stress
3. Self-esteem
   Positive self-worth that is considered to be an important resource for coping

Question 18

Hardiness

Answer 18

A set of
personality characteristics
that provide resistance to
stress; hardy individuals feel
in control of their lives, have
a sense of commitment to
their family and their work
goals and values, and see
unexpected change as
a challenge.

Question 19

Type A Behavior Pattern (TABP)

Answer 19

Moderator of stressor-strain relationship

Individuals displaying TABP characterized by ambitiousness, impatience, easily aroused hostility, & time urgency
Type A’s seem to thrive on “life in the fast lane

Question 20

Reducing & Managing Stress

Occupational health psychology (OHP)

Answer 20

Occupational health psychology (OHP)
Application of psychology to improving the quality of work life, and to protecting and promoting the safety, health, and well-being of workers
Handbook of Occupational Health Psychology
Comprehensive source for OHP issues (i.e., work-family balance, work design, and stress management interventions)

Occupational health psychologists often divide approaches into 3 major categories
Primary, secondary, and tertiary

Question 21

Occupational health psychologists often divide approaches into 3 major categories
Primary, secondary, and tertiary

Answer 21

Primary prevention strategy
Stress prevention strategy
concerned with modifying
or eliminating stressors in
the work environment.

Secondary prevention
strategy Stress prevention
strategy that involves
modifying responses to
inevitable demands or
stressors.

Tertiary prevention strategy
Stress prevention strategy
focused on healing the
negative effects of
stressors.

Question 22

2 coping styles

Answer 22

Problem-focused coping
Managing or altering the problem causing the stress

Emotion-focused coping
Reducing the emotional response to the problem

Question 23

Advice 1Problem-focused coping

Answer 23

If you keep doing what you did, you will …

get what you always got !

Question 24

Primary prevention strategies

Answer 24

Concerned with modifying or eliminating stressors in work environment
Most proactive & preventative approaches to stress management
Examples:
Work & job design
Cognitive restructuring

Question 25

Advice 2Emotion-focused coping

Answer 25

Damage control

Sports, food, social support, meditation (holiday?)

Question 26

Secondary Prevention Strategies

Answer 26

Involve modifying responses to inevitable demands or stressors
Role is often one of damage control
Strategies that require no special training include lifestyle choices such as physical fitness, healthy eating, & weight control
Can be proactive or reactive

Question 27

Advice 3

Answer 27

coaching or counselling.

Question 28

Tertiary Prevention Strategies

Answer 28

Focused on healing negative effects of stressors

Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
Counseling provided by an organization to deal with workplace stress, alcohol/drug difficulties, & problems stemming from outside the job