Exploration of job satisfaction - cognitive, affective and behavioral components (With focus on personality aspects) PhD theses abstract Charles University in Prague Faculty of Arts Department of psychology Author Ivo Půda MA Supervisor PhDr. David Michalík PhD. February 2016 Abstract Dissertation examines the cognitive, affective and behavioral components of job satisfaction with emphasis on the psychological characteristics of personality. It monitors important trends in relation to this issue (economic cycles, emergence of new generations, pressure on performance and innovation, introduction of technology and data analytics, defending of his/her own position, changes in organization of work), provides an overview of the theories of job satisfaction and reflects the historical development of various theoretical and practical approaches trying to describe the complex relationship of personality, work and experience. For better orientation it monitors the development of two strong paradigms (dispositional and situational), which gradually merges into an interactive approach. Mapping psychological characteristics, which undeniably moderating job satisfaction (neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness, positive and negative affectivity, locus of control, emotional stability, defensive tendencies,...

Career decision-making is complex and dynamic. Cognitive factors that influence career choice are of interest to researchers. In particular, negative career thoughts and career self-efficacy have been found to influence career decidedness. Similarly, cognitive expectancy has been linked to career decidedness through the locus of control construct. Where locus of control has demonstrated salutogenic stress reducing properties in health literature it has also been widely used in career research. Other cognitive expectancies could contribute to the literature pertaining to career choice. In particular, sense of coherence has begun to make inroads to career psychology. Where career decision-making research has been universally conducted with student populations, little has been conducted with adults. Because of developmental factors, student based research may not readily generalize to non-student adult based populations. Researching the career indecision of non-student adults could broaden the literature. Establishing the relationship between career thinking (negative career thoughts & career decision-making self-efficacy) and salutogenic functioning (locus of control & sense of coherence) would provide initial research into the nature of career indecision in non-student adults. A survey design assessed the relationship between career thinking and salutogenic functioning in an adult, career decision-making milieu. Two hundred and twenty five unemployed career undecided adults were sampled from community based career exploration programs. Correlative and regression analysis were conducted on career thinking and salutogenic functioning measures. Data analysis indicated statistically significant findings between career thinking and salutogenic functioning. In particular, negative career thoughts, career decision making self-efficacy, locus of control and sense of coherence were all found to have significant correlations between each other. Career thinking and sense of coherence strongly correlated with level of education, while locus of control negatively correlated with age. Regression analysis indicated that sense of coherence demonstrated stronger relationships to career thoughts than locus of control. Further, sense of coherence significantly predicted negative career thoughts and career decision-making self-efficacy. Locus of control maintained a weak and non-significant predictive relationship with negative career thoughts or career self-efficacy. Results suggest that sense of coherence may contribute to further understanding of career decidedness in adults. Implications for Industrial/Organisational psychology are discussed. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil.(Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Female academics in higher education institutions face numerous challenges in the continuously ch~nging landscape of South African Higher Education. Numerous mergers between different institutions, increasing job demands, ever increasing class sizes and the unique demands of role conflict, inherent to the female role, contribute to the manifestation of stress and burnout (80) in this population group. The research is conducted from a salutogenic paradigm, seeking to find ways of avoiding the negative consequences of 80 and contributing towards the positive experience of Work Engagement (WE) for the female academic. The research also explores the effect of the individual academics' Sense of Cohrence (SOC) on the experience of BO and WE. The research is quantitative in nature. A psychometric instrument was sent to all the permanently employed female academics employed by Unisa and TUT, measuring their levels of 80, WE and SOC. The completed questionnaires were statisticaily analysed. The findings included average levels of 80, with definite signs that the experience of 80 is on the increase. The Cy sub-dimension of BO showed increased levels. The WE scores of the female academics were just above average. The SOC scores of the female academics were low. The main recommendations were that University management need to take cognisance of the symptoms of BO that are present in this population. Strategies need to be put in place to address these issues and the experience of WE need to be treasured and grown through definite actions from Management. Female academics also need to take personal responsibility for their own wellness and act on the initial signs of 80, rather than dismissing it as mere tiredness or lack of energy. There are also a number of recommendations on actions to be taken to experience WE in the academic work that the population undertake on a daily basis / Industrial and Organizational Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Industrial & Organizational psychology)

L'imagerie par tomographie en cohérence optique (OCT) est prometteuse comme support de la prise de décision au cours des procédures d'interventions coronariennes percutanées (PCI), pou évaluer les lésions athéromateuses, juger de la bonne implantation du stent, et dépister les lésions vasculaires dues au stent. L'OCT représente donc bien une aide potentielle pour le cardiologue interventionnel tout au long de la procédure de stenting, avec un impact certain sur la stratégie interventionnelle initialement programmée. De plus, l'OCT se révèle comme un nouvel outil pour prédire la dissection des bords de stent chez les patient avec ACS sans élévation du segment ST, rendant possible une stratification des patients quant à ce risque. Des essais cliniques randomisés sont maintenant nécessaires pour savoir si l'assistance par l'OCT pendant la procédure améliore le pronostic à long terme des patients après PCI / Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging is promising in decision making during Percutaneus Coronary Interventions {PCI) procedures, including evaluating controversial plaque lesions, assessing stent implantation, and surveying stent-related vascular injury. Thus, OCT has potential to guide interventional cardiologists throughout the stent implantation procedure, impacting on planned interventional strategy. In addition, OCT is the most novel image technology to predict stent edge dissection for patients with non-ST-segment elevation ACS, enabling risk stratification of patients who are at a higher risk of this complication. Large-scale randomized trials are now warranted to assess whether OCT results and guidance during de procedure improve long-term clinical outcomes of PCis.

Text in Afrikaans / Die studie fokus op die effek van krisiswerk op die helper in terme van stres, die uitbrandingsindroom en posttraumatiese stresversteuring (PTSV). Salutogeniese konstrukte as moderatorveranderlikes in die stres-siekte-verhouding word ook ondersoek. 'n Beskikbaarheidsteekproef van 52 ambulansmanne en 52 kontrolegroepwerkers is verkry. Biografiese, koherensie-, uitbrandings-, PTSV- en stresvraelyste is ingevul en statisties verwerk. Resultate dui daarop dat ambulansmanne hul werk as buitengewoon stresvol beleef en dat meer ambulansmanne diagnoseerbare PTSV vertoon. Daar blyk geen verskil tussen die twee groepe te wees nie met betrekking tot die voorkoms van uitbranding en streservaring. 'n Negatiewe verband tussen koherensiebelewing en die voorkoms van stressimptome en uitbranding is verkry. Ambulansmanne het 'n buitengewoon stresvolle werk en vertoon meer simptome van stresversteurings as mense in ander beroepe. Aanbevelings word gedoen oor hoe om die negatiewe konsekwensies van stres te verminder. / The study focuses on the effect of crisis work on the assistant in terms of stress, the burnout syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Salutogenic constructs as moderator variables in the stress-illness relationship are also investigated. An availability sample of 52 ambulancemen and 52 control group workers was obtained. Biographic, coherence, burnout, PTSD and stress questionnaires were completed and statistically processed. Results indicate that ambulancemen experience their work as exceptionally stressful and that more Ambulancemen display diagnosable PTSD. There appears to be no difference between the two groups in respect of the incidence of burnout and experience of stress. A negative connection between the experience of coherence and the incidence of stress symptoms and burnout was obtained. Ambulancemen have an exceptionally stressful job and display more symptoms of stress disorders. Recommendations are made on how to reduce the negative consequences of stress. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Bedryfsielkunde)

The objective of this exploratory study was to conceptualise the constructs of psychological optimality in order to derive a definition of the concept and to compile a personality profile of the psychologically optimal individual. A sample of 200 employees in a large electricity utility were randomly selected. A psychometric battery comprising seven questionnaires was compiled and administered. The empirical investigation revealed four factors as indicative of psychological optimality. The factors comprise lntrapersonal dimensions, namely successful coping in stressful situations, an internal locus of control, and Interpersonal dimensions, namely interpersonal sensitivity and a commitment to society. It seems that work behaviour would be largely determined by the intra- and interpersonal behaviours. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing handel oor ouderdom en geslag as veranderlikes in die salutogenese paradigma. Die salutogenese paradigma het sy ontstaan en ontwikkeling aan verskeie navorsingsperspektiewe te danke. Daar is reeds op internasionale gebied breedvoerig navorsing oor hierdie paradigma gedoen. In die Suid-Afrika is die navorsing van Strumpfer en Wissing goed bekend. In hierdie navorsing is daar deur middel van faktorontleding gepoog om die onderliggende dimensies van die konstrukte gevoel van koherensie en geharde persoonlikheid bloot te le. Daar is onderskeidelik twee duidelike faktore vir beide konstrukte bepaal. Die faktore op die Lewensorientasievraelys (OLQ) het noue ooreenstemming getoon met die komponente betekenisvolheid en hanteerbaarheid (OLQ1 ), en verstaanbaarheid (OLQ2) soos deur Antonovsky (1987) bespreek. Die faktore op die "Personal Views Survey" (PVS) het ooreenstemming getoon met die komponente verbintenis en beheer (PVS1) en uitdaging (PVS2), soos deur Kobasa (1979) daargestel. Hierdie navorsingsresultate toon verder dat ouderdom wel die mate van gevoel van koherensie wat 'n individu mag ervaar, kan be"invloed. Alhoewel geslag in 'n mindere mate 'n invloed op die mate van gevoel van koherensie getoon het, behoort geslag (in perspektief van die totale steekproef beskou) nie 'n bepalende invloed uit te oefen nie. In terme van die mate van geharde persoonlikheid wat 'n individu mag ervaar, het ouderdom en geslag geen invloed getoon nie. Daar is ook geen interaksie-effek tussen ouderdom en geslag en die onderskeie konstrukte vasgestel nie. / This research project deals with age and gender as variables in the salutogenesis paradigm. The salutogenesis paradigm owes its origin and development to various research projects. Research in the international field has already been done on this paradigm on a wide sphere. The research of Strumpfer and Wissing is well known in South Africa. In this area of research an attempt is made through the analysis of factors to expose the underlying dimensions of the construct sense of coherence and the construct hardy personality. Two certain factors for both constructs have been indicated. The factors influencing the Orientation to Life Questionnaire indicated a close resemblance with the components of meaningfulness and manageability (OLQ1), and comprehensibility (OLQ2), discussed by Antonovsky (1987). The factors of the Personal Views Survey (PVS) demonstrated a similarity with the components commitment and control (PVS 1) and challenge (PVS2), as stated by Kobasa (1979). The results of this research demonstrates that age may well influence the measure of the sense of coherence which an individual may experience. Although gender indicated a minor measure of influence on the degree of sense of coherence, gender should not (in perspective of this research findings) have a deciding influence. Age and gender indicated no deciding influence in the measure of hardy personality experienced by an individual. Age and gender did not manifest any interaction in the various constructs. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Bedryfsielkunde)

The research has worked towards the general aim of generating a synthesis of burnout in the nursing profession, and also towards coming to a synthesis of burnout in nursing from the perspective of the salutogenic paradigm. Existing knowledge from the literature has been consolidated and integrated, and 'new knowledge' of the phenomenological experience of the causes and symptoms of burnout and how nurses stay healthy, were presented. Firstly was discovered that burnout, over time is caused by various factors that are individual and personal and therefore not easily discovered by other than the phenomenological method, where the life world of each individual is described. Secondly, the study ofthe strengths that nurses exhibit in order to manage the tension and stress in their lives and not to succumb to illness, proved to be a sound and descriptive paradigm with great utilisation possibilities. Three answers to the salutogenic question, namely sense of coherence, hardiness and learned resourcefulness were presented in great detail. Thirdly, it was stated that the individual nurses and the nursing practice in general be made aware of: (1) the existence of burnout, (2) the contributing factors to burnout, (3) the various manifestations ofburnout at work and in the organisation, and (4) the coping strategies available to counter this problem in a positive and salutogenic manner. The phenomenological results of this research revealed a number of issues that have implications for both the prevention and treatment of burnout in nurses. The results especially established how nurses can operationalise their inherent salutogenic qualities. Specific salutogenic coping strategies emerged via the respondents. The research took a broad view of personality in health research. It studied the psychological processes underlying the observed connections between psychological variables and health outcomes. In order to study the operationalisation of these processes, a phenomenological, person-based approach was followed. They study focussed on health phenomena and the individual nurse was retained as the unit of analysis. This approach represented a movement away from a fragmented science, infatuated with technology and linked to a singular epistemology, towards a focus on the process and dynamics of personal experience. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The purpose of this research has been to investigate the relationships between team building, salutogenesis and performance. Team building was investigated by focusing on the directive and interactive dimensions of • climate • supervisory support • team work. Salutogenesis was investigated by focusing on the concepts of • sense of coherence • locus of control • self-efficacy. Work performance was investigated by focusing on • performance measurement criteria • self-appraisal as a cognitive mediator between performance and salutogenesis. In the literature survey a performance model was postulated to explain the relationships between team building, salutogenesis and performance. The personality profile of the optimal functioning individual in the context of the performance model was compiled from the personality profiles of the optimal functioning team member, the optimal functioning individual and the optimal performing individual. In the empirical investigation a sample (N = 245) of mine employees completed a battery of questionnaires using computerised data collection. The battery was subjected to item-test correlations, Cronbach alpha coefficient measurements and factor analyses, to establish the reliability and structure of each questionnaire. lntercorrelations were calculated and analysed to test the relationships between the dimensions, and concepts. Following this, the factor analysis of a five factor model established the relationships between the dimensions and concepts of team building, salutogenesis and performance. Finally, LISREL-analyses were performed to test the conceptual structure of the relationships. The empirical findings indicate that team building forms a construct based on directive and interactive dimension of climate, supervisory support and team work. Salutogenesis forms a construct and it includes the incorporation of work performance as a concept of salutogenic orientations. The relationship between the constructs was confirmed using LIS REL-analysis, thus validating the integration of the dimensions and properties within each construct into the properties of a performance model; and the personality profiles within each construct into the personality profile of the optimal functioning individual. The empirical results were integrated with the literature review. Team building and salutogenic orientations are integrated into a performance model which explains the relationships between the work environment, the behaviour of the individual and his/her performance within the context of the work environment. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Industrial Psychology)

The study constituted an investigation for concept images and mathematical reasoning of Grade 11 learners on the concepts of reflection, translation and stretch of functions. The aim was to gain awareness of any conceptions that learners have about these transformations. The researcher’s experience in high school and university mathematics teaching had laid a basis to establish the research problem. The subjects of the study were 96 Grade 11 mathematics learners from three conveniently sampled South African high schools. The non-return of consent forms by some learners and absenteeism during the days of writing by other learners, resulted in the subsequent reduction of the amount of respondents below the anticipated 100. The preliminary investigation, which had 30 learners, was successful in validating instruments and projecting how the main results would be like. A mixed method exploratory design was employed for the study, for it was to give in-depth results after combining two data collection methods; a written diagnostic test and recorded follow-up interviews. All the 96 participants wrote the test and 14 of them were interviewed. It was found that learners’ reasoning was more based on their concept images than on formal definitions. The most interesting were verbal concept images, some of which were very accurate, others incomplete and yet others exhibited misconceptions. There were a lot of inconsistencies in the students’ constructed definitions and incompetency in using graphical and symbolical representations of reflection, translation and stretch of functions. For example, some learners were misled by negative sign on a horizontal translation to the right to think that it was a horizontal translation to the left. Others mistook stretch for enlargement both verbally and contextually. The research recommends that teachers should use more than one method when teaching transformations of functions, e.g., practically-oriented and process-oriented instructions, with practical examples, to improve the images of the concepts that learners develop. Within their methodologies, teachers should make concerted effort to be aware of the diversity of ways in which their learners think of the actions and processes of reflecting, translating and stretching, the terms they use to describe them, and how they compare the original objects to images after transformations. They should build upon incomplete definitions, misconceptions and other inconsistencies to facilitate development of accurate conceptions more schematically connected to the empirical world. There is also a need for accurate assessments of successes and shortcomings that learners display in the quest to define and master mathematical concepts but taking cognisance of their limitations of language proficiency in English, which is not their first language. Teachers need to draw a clear line between the properties of stretch and enlargement, and emphasize the need to include the invariant line in the definition of stretch. To remove confusion around the effect of “–” sign, more practice and spiral testing of this knowledge could be done to constantly remind learners of that property. Lastly, teachers should find out how to use smartphones, i-phones, i-pods, tablets and other technological devices for teaching and learning, and utilize them fully to their own and the learners’ advantage in learning these and other concepts and skills / Mathematics Education / D.Phil. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)