APPLICATION

The concept of stress on the job is both common and elusive. We all have had
the experience of being driven to the margin of physical and psychological
capability by strenous physical exertion, hot climate, schedule pressure,
unreasonable behavior of bosses or colleagues, oncoming illness, or the feeling of
useless efforts. Some of these stressors are physical, other psychological, self
imposed or external; short-term or continual (Cox, 1990).

Yet, the concept is elusive because what may be stimulating under one
condition may become excessive under other circumstances. The simple stress-
produces-strain sequence, which engineer use, may dissolve into the complex
relation familiar to psychologists: a stressor may generate a positive stress
which spurs more activity, or it may result in dis-stress that overloads the
person and generates ineffectiveness, evasive behavior, anxiety, even illness.

The confusing situation may be clarified by the model shown in figure 3-

15. It shows three major aspects of ergonomic concern.

Job demands depend on type, quantity, and schedule of task; the task
environment (in physical or technical terms); and the task conditions, i.e., the
psycho-social relations existing on the job. These (and possibly other related)
work attributes are the job stressors that are imposed on the human.

A persons capability to perform the job demands, and the persons

attitude (influenced both by physical and psychological well-being) a portion of
the persons abilities and attention, she/he is likely to feel underloaded,
underestimated, and might become bored, inattentive, and underachieving, or, on
the positive side, might seek more challenge. If the job demands exceed the
persons capability, he/she is overloaded and would seek either to reduce the
workload, or to increase the capability. Of course, other sources of stress besides
those at work might exist that require a portion of the persons capabilities or
attitude, influencing the physical and psychological well-being. In this case, the
experienced strain depends on the sum total of job and other demands in relation
to the persons capability and attitude.

While we usually assume that most job stress are due to a persons
overloading, not demanding enough of the individuals capacity is not infrequent
either. A good match between job demands and a persons capability and attitude
is, obviously, a desirable condition. The construct of a U-shaped function (often
postulated but seldom proven), shown in figure 3-16, relates the stress imposed by
the work to the resulting strain experienced by the person. According to the U
theory, both too little and too much stress produce undue strain (distress).

Monotony is the opposite of variety, which are both characteristics of the

environment perceived by an individual. Monotony is produced by an
environment where either there is no change or else changes occur in a repetitive
and highly predictabe fashion over which the individual has little control. A
varied environment provokes interest and sometimes even human emotion; in
contrast, an unvaried environment produces boredom, which also can be
considered an emotion. Thus, boredom is an individuals emotional response to an
environment that is perceived as monotonous. A bored person often complains
of feeling tired or fatigued (terms used in this book as related to a
physiological rather than psychological status).

If the job demands (work stress) exactly match the persons capabilities
and attitude, proper strain exists and the on-the-job performance is satisfying,
both objectively and subjectively. If the job demands are far below the persons
abilities, an underload condition exist and the on-the-job performance is most
likely (but not necessarily) reduce. On the other hand, if the work requires more
than a person is able and willing to give, an overload condition exists, and work
performance is likely to suffer.

Understanding peoples capabilities, and developing job demands and

conditions that are matched to these, is the main focus of the ergonomist. The
following brief discussion of attributs and conditions of human may help to
understand proper stress-strain relationships, and to avoid in particular
occupational overload conditions.

Strain Experience by an Individual

Overworked nurses exhibit these behavioral consequences: fear, dread, anxiety,

irritation, annoyance, anger, sadness, grief, and depression. The extent of the
experience strain depends, among other factors, on job experience, age, attitude,
self-esteem, and coping ability. Behavior patterns are highly correlated with the
experience of strain. The type A behavior pattern is exhibited by person who are
engaged in an (often chronic) struggle to obtain (often poorly defined) things from
their environment in the shortest possible period of time, if necessary against the
opposing effects of other things or persons. Type A behavior is characterized by
aggresiveness, competitiveness, impatience, and urgency in overcoming obstacles.
Type A persons are likely to act in ways which make job events more stressful for
themselves and find the resulting strain particularly intense. Many researches, but
not all, have found these persons to be more susceptible to emotional and
cardiovascular disorders than persons showing the opposite type of behavior: type
B individual