Deck 14: Job Satisfaction, Alienation, and Work-Related Stress

Question 1

What is the key difference between Robert Blauner's analysis of work in modern society and Richard Sennett's analysis?

A) Blauner emphasized flexibility and change in work organizations, while Sennett emphasizes the impact of different technologies.
B) Blauner was most critical of bureaucracy, while Sennett is most critical of capitalism.
C) Blauner believed that alienation was declining, while Sennett basically thinks it is increasing.
D) Blauner wrote about job satisfaction, while Sennett wrote about work-related stress.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following generalizations best describes the relationship between gender and job satisfaction?

A) Similar proportions of women and men say they are satisfied with their job.
B) Women are less likely than men to say they are satisfied with their job.
C) Men are less likely than women to say they are satisfied with their job.
D) Younger women are more satisfied with their jobs compared to young men, but the relationship is reversed for older women and men.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following propositions is central to Robert Blauner's argument in his book Alienation and Freedom?

A) Alienation is a key feature of capitalism, and varies little across industries.
B) Worker ownership of the means of production is necessary to reduce alienation.
C) Automated technologies that demand high skill levels lead to reduced alienation.
D) Industrial democracy offers the best hope of reducing alienation in the workplace.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is the best description of Martin Meissner's "compensatory leisure" hypothesis?

A) Job satisfaction increases if employees can participate in company-sponsored leisure activities.
B) Compared to the past, many more Canadians prefer leisure to work.
C) People look for non-work activities that can make up for what they miss at work.
D) Young workers prefer benefit packages that include fitness-club options to packages that emphasize pensions and life insurance.

Question 5

According to Frederick Herzberg's "two-factor theory" of job satisfaction, which of the following work situations would be likely to reduce job dissatisfaction?

A) A more even distribution of female and male employees.
B) Opportunities to develop skills.
C) The presence of a union in the workplace.
D) Improved physical working conditions.

Question 6

Approximately what proportion of Canadian workers report that they feel overqualified for their job?

A) About 10 percent.
B) About 25 percent.
C) About 50 percent.
D) About 65 percent.

Question 7

Which of the following was demonstrated by Melvin Kohn's research on "occupational self-direction?"

A) Workers in more complex jobs become less fatalistic and more self-confident.
B) People with few things that interest them are more likely to choose jobs that require little thinking.
C) Many people become self-employed because they don't like taking directions from other people.
D) People working alone are generally more satisfied than those who work in groups.

Question 8

Which of the following is the best summary of research on the relationship between job satisfaction and worker productivity?

A) The relationship is found in only some work settings (high-complexity jobs, for example).
B) Research consistently shows that more satisfied workers are also more productive.
C) The relationship is much weaker in workplaces where unions are present.
D) The relationship exists for middle-aged and older workers, but not young workers.

Question 9

Canadian research on the gap between work preferences and work rewards reveals the largest gap for which of the following job characteristics?

A) Interesting work.
B) Opportunities for career advancement.
C) Good pay.
D) Opportunities to make decisions.

Question 10

Younger workers typically report lower job satisfaction. This may be because the younger generation has higher job expectations, which will be harder to meet. Which of the following terms would be the best label for this argument?

A) Cohort effect.
B) Aging effect.
C) Life-cycle effect.
D) Self-selection effect.

Question 11

Older workers typically report higher job satisfaction. This may be because, over time, older workers have reduced their expectations about what a good job should provide, and hence are more easily satisfied. Which of the following terms would be the best label for this argument?

A) Cohort effect.
B) Aging effect.
C) Life-cycle effect.
D) Self-selection effect.

Question 12

Which of the following propositions is central to Arne Kalleberg's theory of job satisfaction?

A) An individual's work orientations have the largest effect on her/his job satisfaction.
B) Extrinsic rewards are more important for job satisfaction than are intrinsic rewards.
C) Job satisfaction is determined by the fit or mismatch between work orientations and work rewards.
D) Social relationships have the largest effect on job satisfaction in modern society.

Question 13

According to Karasek's theory of job stress, which of the following working conditions would be most likely to cause high stress?

A) Low job demands and little social support.
B) High job demands and low employee morale.
C) Low job demands and poor supervision.
D) High job demands and little employee control.

Question 14

Rodrigo, an assembly-line worker, spends much of his weekends playing drums in a jazz group. Matthew, who works on the same assembly line, spends most of his weekends watching movies and sports on television. Which of the following generalizations fits best with findings from Martin Meissner's research on "the long arm of the job?"

A) Rodrigo is a good example of someone with instrumental work orientations.
B) On average, more workers are like Rodrigo.
C) On average, more workers are like Matthew.
D) Rodrigo is typical of younger workers; Matthew is a typical older worker.

Question 15

Which of the following job characteristics would be called an "extrinsic" work reward?

A) Friendly workmates.
B) The opportunity to join a union.
C) Job security.
D) The opportunity to make decisions about one's job.

Question 16

Which of the following factors does the "person-environment fit" model add to our understanding of workplace stress?

A) Work orientations.
B) Job satisfaction.
C) Alienation.
D) Work values.

Question 17

According to Frederick Herzberg's "two-factor theory" of job satisfaction, which of the following work situations would be likely to increase job satisfaction?

A) A more even distribution of female and male employees.
B) Opportunities to develop skills.
C) The presence of a union in the workplace.
D) Higher salaries.

Question 18

Which of the following is a "behavioural intention" measure of job satisfaction?

A) All in all, how satisfied are you with your job?
B) Would you recommend your job to your best friend?
C) Is your current job better or worse than your last job?
D) Which term best describes your job: "poor" or "excellent"?

Question 19

Which is the key difference between the "person-environment fit" (A) and the "demand-control" (B) explanations of workplace stress?

A) A is most applicable to the service industries; B applies to all industries.
B) A focuses mainly on job characteristics; B also considers work orientations.
C) A focuses mainly on sources of workplace stress; B focuses mainly on consequences.
D) A emphasizes individual solutions to dealing with stress; B emphasizes structural changes to reduce stress.

Question 20

When asked a general question about how satisfied they are with their job, about what proportion of Canadian workers indicate that they are somewhat or very satisfied?

A) Less than 25 percent.
B) About 35 percent.
C) About 50 percent.
D) 70 percent or more.

Question 21

Discuss the negative consequences of job dissatisfaction. Will worker productivity go up if job satisfaction increases in a workplace? Why or why not?

Question 22

Based on what you have read in Chapter 14, describe the type of job that you think you would find most satisfying. Outline the theory or theories that support your position.

Question 23

Briefly outline Frederick Herzberg's "two-factor theory" of job satisfaction.

Question 24

Sandy Stewart and Bob Blackburn made an important conceptual distinction between job satisfaction and what individual workers would like with respect to employment. Briefly outline the key point they were making.

Question 25

When surveyed, a large majority of Canadian workers indicate that they are satisfied with their job, a finding that puzzles some sociologists. Discuss such survey findings and the explanations sociologists have provided for the high level of apparent job satisfaction.

Question 26

Briefly outline Karasek's "demand-control" model of workplace stress.

Question 27

Researchers typically find that older workers are more satisfied with their jobs, and attribute this finding to a variety of different processes. In a sentence for each, explain what is meant by an "aging effect," a "job effect," and a "life-cycle effect."