Alienation, environmental characteristics, and worker responses

Abstract

DATA GATHERED FROM 1900 MALE WORKERS LOCATED IN 21 PLANTS IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES ARE PRESENTED AND ANALYZED TO DETERMINE THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS PRESUMED TO INDEX FEELINGS OF ALIENATION FROM MIDDLE-CLASS NORMS. PREDICTIONS WERE MADE THAT WORKERS IN COMMUNITIES WHICH SHOULD FOSTER INTEGRATION WITH MIDDLE-CLASS NORMS WOULD STRUCTURE THEIR JOBS DIFFERENTLY AND WOULD RESPOND DIFFERENTLY THAN ALIENATED WORKERS. WORKERS IN COMMUNITIES FOSTERING INTEGRATION WITH MIDDLE-CLASS NORMS SHOULD REPORT HIGHER SATISFACTION ON HIGHLY SKILLED JOBS. THEY SHOULD VALUE RETIREMENT AND SHOULD PLAN FOR IT WHILE WORKING. ALIENATED WORKERS SHOULD REPORT LOWER SATISFACTION ON HIGHLY SKILLED JOBS. PAY SHOULD HAVE A STRONGER EFFECT ON THE SATISFACTION OF ALIENATED WORKERS, AND THESE WORKERS WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO LOOK FOR OTHER WORK AFTER RETIREMENT. THE PREDICTIONS WERE REGARDED AS CONFIRMED FOR BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS FOR STRIVING NEED-THEORETIC MODELS OF HUMAN MOTIVATION ARE DISCUSSED. (23 REF.) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)