Keywords

Role conflict, Stress (Physiology), Stress (Psychology)

Abstract

The main purpose of the present study was to determine empirically whether differences in perceived role conflict, role ambiguity, and Type A proclivities are associated with differences in perceived psychosomatic dysfunction. Moreover, an ancillary purpose of the present study was to determine whether differences in perceived job performance were associated with Type A-B tendencies and perceived role conflict and ambiguity. Data for 72 workers from all levels of two types of organizations (i.e., citizen protection and health) were obtained. All workers completed a role conflict and ambiguity measure, a 15-item self-report index of psychosomatic dysfunction, a 7-poimt measure of job performance, and the Jenkins Activity Survey (Form C) which was designed to tap the Type A behavior pattern. On the basis of their health reports, workers were classified into one of the following two groups: (a) psychosomatic, and (2) "no" psychosomatic. In order to identify whether differences in vectors, comprised of measures or role conflict, role ambiguity, and Type A-B behavior, existed among the two health groups, a discriminant function analysis was used. The only function extracted resulted in a Wilks' lambda of .8625 (p< .01). Moreover, Type A-B behavior and role conflict were found to contribute .798 and .201 to unit variance, respectively. In order to determine whether differences in perceived job performance were associated with Type A-B tendencies and perceived role conflict and ambiguity, two 3 x 2 fixed effects ANOVAs were performed. Significant main effects were found for role conflict (p< .005) and Type A-B behavior (p< .05). Neither interaction term proved significant. In sum, the results indicate that differences in perceived stress, as defined by role conflict, and Type A proclivities are associated with differences in perceived psychosomatic dysfunction. Moreover, Type B persons' perceptions concerning their own job performance are more favorable than Type A persons' perceptions concerning their own job performance, and this holds regardless of the perceived intensity of the stressor. Finally, persons under perceived "moderate" levels of stressor intensity were found to have significantly more favorable perceptions concerning their own job performance, than those who were under either perceived "low" or "high" levels of stressor intensity. This relationship help regardless of Type A or Type B proclivities.

Notes

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Graduation Date

Summer 1980

Advisor

Burroughs, Wayne A.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Social Sciences

Degree Program

Industrial Psychology

Format

PDF

Pages

61 p.

Language

English

Rights

Public Domain

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0013300

Contributor (Linked data)

Burroughs, Wayne A., 1943- [VIAF]

Burroughs, Wayne A., 1943- [LC]

Accessibility Status

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