Barbara Stiglbauer

Are workers in high-status jobs healthier than others? Assessing Jahoda's latent benefits of employment in two working populations.

Abstract It is known that employment is important for psychological health. The present paper claims that the reasons why employed persons report better well-being than unemployed persons might also explain why those in some occupations report better well-being than others. Jahodas latent deprivation theory (1982) was that employment provides a number of latent beneficial functions, which she identified as time structure, social contact, collective purpose, identity/status, and activity. We argue that this theory can be extended to account for differences in well-being between occupations with different levels of status. Data from two studies, one conducted on a representative German sample (n=565) and the other from a large-scale online study (n=826), largely support this argument. Group differences in well-being and access to latent benefits were found, and mediation was partly supported. The findings are discussed not only in relation to the latent deprivation model but also in relation to common approaches to job satisfaction and mental health.

The relationship between job dissatisfaction and training transfer

The high rates of training transfer failure that prevail still puzzle practitioners as well as researchers. The central aim of the present study is to analyze the relatively under-researched role of job dissatisfaction in the training transfer process. Specifically, we expect that job dissatisfaction would have a negative effect on transfer but that this effect would be buffered by the expectation of positive transfer consequences and motivation to transfer. To test these hypotheses, 220 participants in different training programs completed an online questionnaire 1 year after training. The results support our assumptions. They reveal that job dissatisfaction has a detrimental effect on training transfer, but that motivation to transfer and the expectation of positive transfer consequences have a buffering effect. The more motivated a person is towards transfer, the less negative is the effect of job dissatisfaction on actual transfer, but only if a person expects positive outcomes from transfer, such as acknowledgment or rewards. The findings are discussed in relation to existing training transfer models, as well as models of job (dis)satisfaction.

On the link between job insecurity and turnover intentions: moderated mediation by work involvement and well-being.

This study investigates whether work involvement moderates the negative effect of job insecurity on general well-being, and whether reduced general well-being partially explains why job insecurity is associated with increased turnover intentions. The participants were 178 members (52% female) of an online panel who provided information about job insecurity, work involvement, two measures of general well-being (affective and cognitive), and turnover intentions on 2 occasions at an interval of 6 months. In line with expectations, work involvement buffered the negative effect of job insecurity on well-being; however, the buffering effect was significant only for the cross-sectional effect of job insecurity on cognitive well-being. Furthermore, multiple mediation analysis demonstrated that well-being partially mediated the effect of job insecurity on turnover intentions; interestingly, the cross-sectional effect of job insecurity on turnover intentions was partially mediated by cognitive well-being, whereas the longitudinal effect was partially mediated by affective well-being only. The results suggest that the stress process associated with job insecurity differs, depending on which aspect of general well-being and which time frame is investigated.

EyeCo: Effects of Shared Gaze on Social Presence in an Online Cooperative Game

This paper investigates the effects of a shared gaze approach on social presence in an online cooperative game. We explored how a shared gaze visualization changes how players work together and form collaborative strategies based on different combinations of gaze interaction and verbal communication. Our study findings highlight the positive influence of a shared gaze visualization on team cohesion and involvement towards increased perceived social presence among cooperating team members. With our findings we want to inform game designers with insights on the inclusion of gaze-based interaction in remote gaming settings and whether this can strengthen the social bond between players. Our approach aims at fostering social couplings in remote collaborative gaming and investigates their potential to increase the connectedness between players.

An Eye for an Eye: Gaze Input in Competitive Online Games and its Effects on Social Presence

This paper investigates the effects of a shared gaze visualization regarding social presence in an online competitive game setting. We investigate if the incorporation of gaze interaction among different competitive game genres would influence the perceived social presence for the players. To find answers to our research question we created an experimental setting that is based on two game genres that require strategic skills (i.e., a turn-based strategy game) and motoric skills (i.e., a real-time first person shooter). Our study findings highlight the positive influence of a shared gaze visualization on competitive play. Further, the studied game genres have a significant influence on the perceived social presence. With our findings we want to provide insights for game designers and researchers regarding the inclusion of gaze-based interaction in remote gaming settings.

InterPlayces: Results of an Intergenerational Games Study

Our submission describes the conceptualization and the results of an intergenerational games study composed of various games held in the Welios Science Center. We aim to identify design criteria (game mechanics, goals, etc.) for intergenerational digital games with haptic elements in a museum context that are not only fun, but also foster the communication between old and young players. In order to reach our goal, we confronted players with several different commercially available games as well as a specifically developed game prototype. To address the physical context (museum) in our methods and our game design we also carried out observations of existing installations plus interviews with museum guides. Results show that cooperative intergenerational games in a museum should include haptic elements, consist of several phases, with the possibility of reruns and should not be too complex, both technically and conceptually.

Proactive coping with job insecurity: Is it always beneficial to well-being?

ABSTRACT With reference to conservation of resources theory, the authors explored the role of proactive coping in relation to both positive and negative aspects of employee well-being (happiness and depression) when confronted with job insecurity. The authors investigated if coping efficiency improves when employees are highly committed to work, that is, when they have a high level of work involvement. Results of tests with samples of 162 Austrian and 444 Taiwanese employees revealed that, overall, proactive coping was positively related to employee well-being if the perception of job insecurity was low. However, in the case of high job insecurity, the beneficial effect of proactive coping was present only among employees with high work involvement. The interaction was significant for feelings of depression in the Austrian sample and for feelings of happiness in the Taiwanese sample. The findings suggest that if a person experiences job insecurity, the efficiency of proactive coping might depend on the persons work-related attitudes and beliefs, such as work involvement, that serve as coping resources.

Psychological effects of (non)employment: a cross-national comparison of the United States and Japan

The involuntary loss of employment has been shown to deteriorate subjective well-being. Adopting a cross-cultural perspective on Jahodas (1982) deprivation model this study examines several latent and manifest benefits of work that were expected to mediate the effects of employment status on well-being. It was hypothesized that in more collectivistic societies the decline in subjective well-being would be a consequence of a diminished sense of collective purpose for the non-employed, whereas in individualistic societies the crucial factors would be a loss of social status and financial benefits. The findings from two representative national surveys conducted in the United States (N = 1,093) and Japan (N = 647) provided partial support for these hypotheses. Cultural differences moderated the effects of employment status on the benefits of work. As a consequence, different processes mediated the decline in well-being for the non-employed in the two countries. These results are embedded within the wider discourse on culture and its effect on unemployment.

Co-smonauts in Retrospect: The Game Design Process of an Intergenerational Co-located Collaborative Game

This paper describes the design process of an intergenerational co-located cooperative game called Co-smonauts. The main aim of the research project was to identify design factors for intergenerational games in a museum context that foster the social exchange between old and young, feature an intuitive control scheme, and offer a certain amount of depth that keeps players enjoying themselves. In detail, this submission provides an overview of the study-guided design process and key design decisions that led to the final game. Three steps are presented (Game Design, Building Phase Design, Navigator Interface Design), each of them containing a detailed description of the design challenges, the carried out studies to face the challenges, and the design implications. In general, we aim at providing insights for both researchers and designers regarding the design, the development, and the evaluation of co-located collaborative intergenerational games.

Exploring Different Forms of Job (Dis)Satisfaction and Their Relationship with Well-Being, Motivation and Performance: FORMS OF JOB SATISFACTION

Job satisfaction is often treated as a one-dimensional construct. In contrast, Bruggemann (1974) postulated six distinct forms of (dis)satisfaction: four types of satisfaction (progressive, stabilised, resigned, pseudo) and two types of dissatisfaction (constructive, fixated). Despite her theory s practical relevance, few researchers have explored its assumptions or applications. The current study aimed to characterise a German-speaking employee sample (n 5 892) according to Bruggemann s theory using mixture modelling. We investigated stability of the (dis)satisfaction forms over a five-month period, as well as their relationship with well-being, motivation and (self-reported) performance. We found latent clusters corresponding to most Bruggemann types, though no distinction between progressive and stabilised satisfaction was possible. While cluster membership varied over time, some clusters (e.g. resigned satisfaction) were more stable than others (e.g. constructive dissatisfaction). Overall satisfaction level explained 25–51 per cent variance in well-being and motivation, and 13–16 per cent variance in performance. Including forms of satisfaction improved cross-sectional prediction by 2–6 per cent explained variance. Results suggest that unfavourable consequences of job dissatisfaction may be limited to fixated—not constructive—dissatisfaction, though no consistent longitudinal effects emerged. We argue that exploring qualitative differences in job satisfaction promotes a more nuanced and potentially useful understanding of the relationship between satisfaction and work outcomes.