Conditions of Work: Psychological and Endocrine Stress Reactions

Abstract

Psychosocial stressors in modern working life and measurement of their psychophysiological effects are briefly discussed and three stress studies presented. First, officers and soldiers were exposed to a stressful 75-hour vigil. Significant stress reactions occurred with respect to erythrocyte sedimentation rate, protein-bound iodine, serum iron level, electrocardiogram pattern, behavior, and catecholamine excretion. Pronounced circadian rhythms and significant psychophysiological correlations were demonstrated. Second, the remuneration of salaried invoicing clerks was abruptly changed to piece-wages. The subjects exhibited sharp rise in performance but also an increase in discomfort ratings and catecholamine excretion. Third, office clerks were moved to and from various types of offices. In general, moving from a conventional office to an office landscape was accompanied by an increase in fatigue ratings and catecholamine excretion. The implications of these findings for environmental health are briefly discussed.