Ernest Is 42 Years Old and Has Been Out of Work

Multiple Choice

Ernest is 42 years old and has been out of work for two months.He lost his position as a program manager when his company merged with another larger company.He made a great deal of money during his time as manager and saved quite a bit,so finances are not an immediate concern.He has not been actively looking for work,and he feels sluggish,sleeps much more than he did in the past,and spends most of his time watching TV.Based on conservation of resources theory,how would you interpret his behavior?

A) Ernest is just waiting for the right opportunity to come along and there is nothing problematic about this strategy.
B) Ernest is experiencing the effects of loss of status following the termination.
C) The stressful event probably triggered some underlying vulnerability to depression.
D) Ernest will probably soon function at an even higher level following the traumatic incident.