Lecture 9: Work, Leisure and Well-Being Flashcards
What is work well-being relationship? Operationalization
Different ways of operationalizing work
* occupational status > ex. employed vs. unemployed
* job satisfaction > ex. job satisfaction scale (brayfield & other)
Positive relationship between work and well-being:
* Occupational status, r = .11
* Job satisfaction, rs = .35-.40
The strength of relationship depends on how “work” is operationalized
Work and well-being relationship explanation: Desire fulfillment
Desire fulfillment
* recall the monetary desire fulfillment theory
* satisfaction of desires positively related to well-being > income can help us satisfy our desires > work provides income, therefore > work positively related to well-being
*work gives you the money you need to maximize options
The work well-being relationship explanation: Human nature approach
- human nature approach
- recall the human nature approach from lecture7
- satisfaction of basic human needs positively related to well-being
- income can help us satisfy our basic human needs
- work provides income, therefore
- work positively related to well-being
*having income allows us to satisfy basic human needs
The work well-being relationship explanation: Flow characteristics
- Intense focus on the present moment
- Merging of action and awareness
- Loss of reflective self-awareness
- Sense of personal agency or control over activity
- Distortion of subjective temporal experience (losing track of time)
- Experience activity as intrinsically rewarding
Three necessary conditions of flow 4
- Must be involved in activity with a clear set of goals and progress
- The task must have clear and immediate feedback
- Must have good balance between perceived challenges and own perceived skill (need to feel competent, if too easy you’ll easily get bored
- fLow positively related to well-being and work provides the opportunity for flow experiences, therefore work positively related to well-being
The work well-being relationship explanations: Job statisfaction and different theories
Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between work and well-being
- Situational theories (bottom-up): > a good job leads to higher job satisfaction which leads to higher well-being *certain jobs you’ll be more satisfied with
- dispositional theories (top-down): > being happy leads to higher job satisfaction *some people are happy with their work > happier in their lives
- Interactionistic theories (fit theories): having good fit between job and individual characteristics leads to higher well-being
Job characteristic model > Good jobs are intrinsically motivating list 5
- task identity > seek work from start to finish
*recognizing your contribution ex. surgeon - task significance > how important it is to you
- skill variety > different tasks
*work that allows to use different skills - autonomy > control over work
*freedom to do your work and choose how you do it - feedback > evaluation of performance
*most important was autonomy .48 (Self-determination theory)
Job satisfaction: Domain satisfaction and overall well-being
Working hours (more = less job satisfaction), work-life balance,flexible schedule,job security all contributed to job satisfaction
*some job characteristics affected overall life satisfaction via other domain satisfaction (i.e., not just through job satisfaction)
* ex. for some workers, inflexible work hours negatively impacted social life satisfaction
Job satisfaction: Bottom-up
Sometimes there are trade-offs that may benefit employee satisfaction in one domain at the expense of well-being in another domain
* ex.focus on task svs.physical well-being
* ex.focus on rewards vs. cooperation
* ex.focus on social relationships vs.autonomy * ex.focus on physical safety
Job satisfaction - Dispositional theories
ex.big five traits account for ~20% of variance in job satisfaction!!!
* ex. neuroticism: r = -.29 (~10%)
* ex. extraversion: r = .25 (~6%)
* ex. conscientiousness: r = .26 (~6%)
Job satisfaction - Donhonhue 2006 > fit
- congruence (or fit) predicts job satisfaction (r=.25)
- fit greater for workers with stable career paths than for workers who change careers
- good to know what you want*
- utm career centre
Excessive working
- mixed empirical evidence of the effects of excessive working on well-being
- although excessive workers enjoyed their work (to some extent), they also had lower
levels of job satisfaction and higher levels of na - enjoyment because of “flow” or may get a “worker’s high” when at work only
What is leisure?
ex.time not occupied by paid or unpaid work or personal chores and obligations
- ex.preferred activities pursued during free time for their own sake, fun, entertainment or self-improvement
- ex.leisure satisfaction
- component of domain satisfaction or satisfaction and enjoyment derived from leisure activities
What are the 4 perspectives of leisure?
- structural external vantage point
- amount of time, diversity or frequency of one’s participation in normatively defined leisure
activities - ex. social activities, games, sports, cultural experiences, etc.
subjective internal vantage point
- amount of time, diversity or frequency of one’s participation in activities that individuals
view as leisure
perceived freedom
- a state in which the person feels that what she or he is doing is done by choice and because one wants to do it
intrinsic motivation
- rewards from participation are seen as coming from engaging in the activity itself
Self-determination theory and leisure
individuals are intrinsically curious and active
- will thrive in contexts conducive to expression of intrinsic motivation * ex. activities that promote autonomy or freedom
- individuals will have greatest well-being when engaged in activities that promote intrinsic motivation
- ex. leisure activities
