Sources Of Stress: Stress In The Workplace Content Flashcards
What is the recipe for stress in the workplace in the demand-control model? (Karasek 1979)
High demands at work (high workload) and little control over job = stress
What are the two key studies for stress in the workplace?
Marmot et al (1997) - civil servants London study
Johannson et al (1978) - Swedish sawmill study
What was the experimental and control group in Johansson et al (1978)?
14 finishers = low control as you are reliant on the machinery chopping the timber and a high workload. Their pay was dependent on their production rate
10 cleaners = high control, less workload than finishers, more time to socialise
How did Johansson et al (1978) collect data on the stress levels of the cleaners vs finishers?
. 4 urine samples taken a day on works days and rest days to compare, as well as one when arriving at work,measuring stress-related hormones (adrenaline and noradrenaline)
. Had to fill in a scale on sleepiness, well-being, calmness
. Questionnaire on how much nicotine and caffeine since last urine sample
How did the Johansson et al (1978) study reduce extraneous variables?
Asked the finishers and cleaners if they smoked or drunk caffeine, as these are causal mechanisms for stress
What were the findings of Johansson et al?
. High-risk group (finishers) saw their adrenaline levels double compared to their baseline measurement when at work
. Finishers had higher levels of stress-related illness such as headaches
. Finishers reported feeling more rushed and irritated than control group
What are the conclusions of Johansen et al ?
. Repetitive work of high-risk group had a high workload, contriving to higher stress
Levels
. More responsibility someone has at work, the more repetitive it is (lack of control), the more stressful the job is
What was the aim of Marmot et al (1997)?
To test the job-strain model by investigating a relationship between job control and stress-related illness in male and female civil servants
What was the procedure of Marmot et al (1997)?
. Longitudinal over 3 years, 10k civil servants asked to complete self-report survey and get checked for signs of cardiovascular disease
Around 5 years later, reassessed:
. Job control measures through self-report and independent assessments of work environment by personnel managers
. Records kept on social support, coronary risk factors, signs of cardiovascular disease
What were the findings of Marmot et al (1997)?
. Higher grade civil servants (high workloads low control) developed fewest cardiovascular problems .
, high workload was ‘t associated with CHD but low control was, signalling the importance of low job control
