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PYC4810 EXAM PREP.
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PYC4810 EXAM PREP., 1
PYC 4810 – Psychology of Work
Define the concept of Job Satisfaction and discuss the dispositional model of job satisfaction. Also,
explain the consequence of job dissatisfaction and ways to promote job satisfaction.
Define the concept of Job Satisfaction
One of the most widely studied topic with regards to workplace attitudes, is that of job satisfaction;
which refers to positive or negative attitudes held by an individual towards their job. A study
conducted in 2009 which evaluated the job satisfaction of thousands of American workers, found that
less than half of the respondents reported that they were satisfied with their job, and this number has
only decreased in recent years. This dissatisfaction can be attributed to several factors;
1. People’s expectations have risen over the years which has made it increasingly difficult for
companies to give employees what they want.
2. The nature of jobs is changing and often people find that jobs have become highly
specialised and narrow, and that they don’t find it especially gratifying.
Jobs that are least satisfying tend to be the ones that are low-level and require the
most rudimentary skills, while the most satisfying jobs tend to be more creatively
fulfilling and allow workers to have a greater sense of accomplishment because of
these complexities.
Discuss the dispositional model of job satisfaction
The Dispositional Model proposes that job satisfaction is a relatively stable disposition of an
individual’s characteristics that stay with them through different situations; people who like the job
they are doing at one time, also tend to like the job they may be doing at another time, even if the
jobs are different.
Various longitude research conducted over a period of as long as 10 years have found that people are
consistent in liking or disliking their jobs, even though they have had several positions during that
time. Furthermore, research indicates that people who are cheerful and positive most of the time tend
to display higher job satisfaction than those who tend to be “down” and gloomy. The Dispositional
model therefore postulates that Job Satisfaction is influenced by an individual’s disposition and
personality traits and research has also shown that genetic factors play a role in JS. In other words,
some people have an inherent tendency to be positive and satisfied, while others tend to be
dissatisfied.
Studies of identical twins has strengthened this genetic hypothesis since findings indicated that
identical twins, who have the same genetic makeup, expressed similar levels of job satisfaction than
did fraternal twins or unrelated persons. It therefore stands to reason that genetic factors influence
job satisfaction. However, these effects are indirect and research suggests that genetics influence
certain aspects of someone’s personality. For example, high or low levels of neuroticism, and positive
or negative affectivity, and that these, in turn play a role in job satisfaction.
, 2
Consequence of job dissatisfaction
Job dissatisfaction can lead to employee withdrawal, which may result in chronic absenteeism and
voluntary turnover. Voluntary turnover refers to a form of employee withdrawal in which the
individual resigns freely and low JS is usually associated with a high level of turnovers. However, the
relationship is complex and there are many factors that play a role and only some have a connection
with job satisfaction.
For example, when alternative posts are vacant, people may be expected to resign if they are
dissatisfied, but when such positions are limited (e.g. in a weak economy) voluntary turnover is not an
option. Another factor which influences turnover is that of the honeymoon-hangover effect. The
Honeymoon effect refers to how people enjoy high levels of satisfaction on new jobs they have taken
in relation to dissatisfaction with their old jobs. The Hangover effect refers to the tendency of peoples
work satisfaction to drop over time. Another consequence of job dissatisfactions is that of
absenteeism; when people stay away from the job when they are schedules to work. Studies have
shown that decreased job satisfaction results in an increase of absenteeism and vice versa. Both
voluntary turnover and absenteeism can have an adverse impact on the productivity and functioning
of the company.
Ways to promote job satisfaction.
Allow employees to select their own benefits. Many companies have started instituting “cafeteria-
style benefit plans” which allow employees to select specific fringe benefits they desire from a menu
of options. This will lead to more job satisfaction since employees with such options available to them
are more likely to feel that the company is treating them fairly and furthermore, such programs
provide opportunities for employees to minimise discrepancies between what they have and what
they want.
For example, some employees would be more interested in a higher pay wage while others would
prefer to get longer paid vacations. Improving the quality of supervision can also raise job satisfaction.
Job satisfaction is high among employees who believe that their supervisors are competent, treat
them with respect, and have their best interests in mind. A managerial style that is highly intimidating
and leaves employees feeling powerless and discouraged can only lead to dissatisfaction. On the other
hand, a managerial style which is open and treats people with dignity, values input from employees
and treats everyone fairly is far more likely to promote job satisfaction.
, 3
Explain the concept of Job satisfaction and summarise the three major theories of Job
satisfaction?
Job satisfaction can be defined as the negative and positive attitudes held by individuals towards their
jobs. Job satisfaction results from personal perceptions and evaluations about the job, these
perceptions are influenced by the person’s values, expectations and needs. Job satisfaction is
subjective and differs for each employee, for some a good salary could be of importance, whereas for
others the environment they work in could be viewed as an important factor to job satisfaction. There
are three approaches to understanding job satisfaction;
The Dispositional Model of JS
Within any organisation there are some people who always seem to like their jobs, regardless of what
it entails, based on this notion the dispositional model maintains that job satisfaction is a relatively
stable characteristic that stays with people over various situations. Meaning that people who like the
job they are doing at one time also tend to like the jobs they may be doing at another time, even if
the jobs are different. Research that was done showed that people who tend to be positive and
cheerful most of the time tend to express higher job satisfaction than those who tend to be down and
gloomy. For that reason it can be said that genetic factors play a role in job satisfaction because
inherently some people are satisfied or dissatisfied with all aspects of their lives, including their jobs.
Another research done was to compare the levels of job satisfaction between identical twins and
fraternal twins, results indicated that identical twins reflected similar levels of job satisfaction even
though they held different kinds of jobs, than fraternal twins.
Value Theory of JS
This theory is quite broad and maintains that any factor can be a source of job satisfaction so long as
it is something that people value. The theory suggests that job satisfaction depends primarily on the
match between the outcomes individuals’ value (e.g. pay, learning opportunities, recognition) in their
jobs and their perceptions about the availability of such outcomes. It focuses on the discrepancies
between what people have and what they want in the job setting. If the discrepancies are greater, the
more dissatisfied the person will be with their job. An effective way to satisfy employees according to
this theory is to find out what employees want and give it to them to the extent it is possible. This can
be done through conducting employee surveys.
Social Information Processing Model
Theory postulates that people’s attitudes towards their jobs are based on information they get from
other people. For example a new employee might have been excited about their new job but soon
realise that after joining the company his/her co-workers are far less enthusiastic about their jobs and
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