Mary Kirkman

Publication Date

8-1988

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Elizabeth Erffmeyer, William Pfohl, John O'Connor

Comments

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Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

The present study addressed whether “stressed” individuals perceive job characteristics (i.e., skill variety, task identify, task significance, autonomy and feedback) differently than do “not-stressed” individuals. In a laboratory experiment, undergraduate college students enrolled in psychology classes were randomly assigned to role-play a stressed or not-stressed door-to-door book salesperson. As hypothesized, subjects in the stressed condition described the job as having less skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback than did subjects in the not-stressed condition. Thus, results indicate that level of stress, a personal characteristic variable, affects perceptions of job characteristics. In addition, the stressed group perceived the job as less meaningful, having less responsibility for work outcomes, and providing less knowledge of results of work activities. Finally, the stressed group considered the job as less motivating than did the not-stressed group. These results contribute to a currently expanding area of research examining the relationship between aspects of job characteristics theory and stress. The implication of these findings for the workplace as well as limitations of the study are discussed.

Disciplines

Business | Human Resources Management | Industrial and Organizational Psychology | Performance Management | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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