Thursday 30 January 2014

Psychology A2 - Causes of Stress - Johansson


Within Causes of Stress there are three schools of thought which are accompanied by different studies. The first of these studies, conducted by Johansson, attributes stress to work.

Johansson 1978 - Measurement of Stress Response due to Work 

Aim - To measure the psychological (mental) and physiological (biological) responses to stress in two categories of employees.

Participants - All participants worked in a Swedish Sawmill. 

Risk Level
Number
Job Type
High Risk
14
Complex job which required focus and knowledge of raw materials. 
Responsible for the whole teams wages. 
Had to work at a set pace which was governed by the production line. 
Low Risk (Control)
10
Consisted of maintenance workers and cleaners. 


Let's pretend this guy is Swedish... 

Methodology - No independent variable was manipulated due to the quasi nature of the study, making it an independent design. 

Data Collection - Data was collected through self-report and physiological tests. 
The self-report included self-rating scales which tested mood and alertness as well as caffeine and nicotine consumption.
Physiological data was collected 4 times a day through urine samples which tested for adrenaline, which is a hormonal response to stress. Body temperature was also recorded through-out the day. 

Results - Physiological data (urine) showed that, even before work, the high risk group had twice the level of adrenaline that the low risk group had. This continued to rise throughout the day. 
The high risk group self-reported a “rushed” feeling and high levels of irritation. They also rated their wellbeing as far lower than the control group. 

Conclusion - The repetitive, machine paced work of the high risk group contributed to their stress levels. 

Good Luck! 





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