Coping with Stress at Work

This paper considers the quality-of-life concept from the point of view of harmony between fundamental human needs and environmental conditions. It is argued that the knowledge gained by research in psychobiology can aid in directing technological applications to suit human needs and abilities. Examples are given from a multidisciplinary research program concerned with the dynamics of stressful person-environment transactions, viewed from psychological and biological perspectives. Emphasis is placed on coping and adaptation in workers exposed to conditions characterized by underload, overload, and lack of control. On the basis of empirical results, it is argued that a moderately varied flow of stimuli and events, opportunities to engage in psychologically meaningful work, and to exercise personal control over situational factors, may be considered key components in the quality-of life concept.