Work Psychology : A European Perspective

Work Psychology: A European Perspective introduces the current psychological theories and approaches regarding the activity of 'working' to present an authoritative and comprehensive treatment of work psychology. A thorough overview of the psychological aspects of work and working Focuses on European working environments Puts the individual at the centre of the study Central topics in the book include the nature of work activity, underlying psychological mechanisms, performance outcomes, and effects on the individual's well-being, safety, and health Relates classical issues, such as work load, fatigue and job design, to contemporary topics, including work in hi-tech services and e-commerce, and modern health care

he first chapter is an introductory chapter in which work is defined as''goal-directed activity performed in a particular context''. Various conceptions of work will be reviewed, different types of work (e.g. paid work, voluntary work, hobbies) will be distinguished, and the most important aspects of the context will be discussed. There will also be a general description of the background of present-day work as a service economy with an intensive use of information and communication technology.he Second chapter will focus on the issue of''how people work'', describing work activity from a cognitive perspective. The theory of activity regulation and its connections with theories of human information processing and motor action (skill acquisition) will be presented. The relevance of this approach for the study of''new'' types of work, i.e. knowledge work will be outlined. This chapter offers the main concepts and models to be used in the rest of the book.hapter Three will discuss emotion and work. It will describe how work activities and events in the work place can evoke emotions, and how emotions can motivate or otherwise influence work activities. The focus will be on the regulation of emotions and the way in which it affects, e.g. interferes with or supports, task related activities. Recent research findings on"emotion work" and its difficulties will be discussed.hapter Four deals with motivation to work. Classical motivational theories will be placed in the context of an integrative framework that is organized around the notion of goal striving. The framework describes the interplay of volitional and cognitive processes, and makes a distinction between''getting motivated'' and''staying motivated'' which is highly relevant in everyday work situations. Research findings on goal setting and feedback systems are also dealt with in this context. Some typical motivation problems (procrastination, deferral and loss of motivation over time) and methods for overcoming them will be discussed.hapter Five will discuss worker attributes as required for work activity. It covers abilities and personality traits, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and''competences''. While these aspects are normally looked upon from the perspective of differential psychology, this chapter will have a focus on learning processes and the acquisition of competences. Competences are not only seen as determinant of work performance, but also as attributes affected by performance (qualification, de-qualification). Several practical implications of the competences framework will be discussed, such as the relative effectiveness of job design, training and selection. Some ergonomics (human factors) will be entailed as well.hapter Six will consider work activity from the energetic perspective. Concepts and models relating to work demands, workload, effort investment, work pressure, fatigue, and recovery from work will be presented from a self-regulation perspective. The central idea is that people at work regulate the physical and mental energy that is spent on the work or kept in reserve for later use. Replenishing energy while resting, sleeping, and fulfilling other activities (leisure) is considered to be part of their energetic regulation. Practical issues discussed in this chapter are job design, ergonomic workplace design, workload management and work time-scheduling.hapter Seven will focus on aspects of work and health. A general framework is presented that shows the role of work among the many other (macro-meso-micro) factors that influence people''s health. The possible influences of exposure to the work environment and the fulfilment of work activities are discussed. Illness is made understood as the outcome of failing regulation with regard to energy, emotions or vitality. In discussing the intermediary mechanisms leading to illness the concepts of strain, stress, and burnout are introduced with their respective theoretical frameworks. Health is also considered as a factor