Theory of Work Adjustment

Ren Dawis and Lloyd Lofquist

University of Minnesota
A Trait - Factor Theory
developed out of the trait-factor approach
first proposed by Frank Parsons.
Introduced by Lofquist and Dawis in 1958
Latter published "Adjustment to Work" in
1969
Psychological Theory of Work Adjustment
in 1984
Underlying assumption
"purpose of career counseling is to help
individuals achieve correspondence with
their work environments"
Also known as person-environment fit or
congruence
Reflects a major departure from the
emphasis on career choice
Trait - Factor Theory
Theory instrumental in that it addresses the
role of the environment (employer) in the
career process
Also unique in that it focuses on work
adjustment and not specifically on career
choice
 The theory was not designed to explain or
predict choice of career nor the
development of the worker's adjustment
skills and attributes.
It only explains and predicts how workers
adjust to occupations throughout their
careers.
It examines personal characteristics that
lead to adjustment to job environment:

how flexible the person is,

how active,
how much they react to changes in their
environment, and
how quickly following a change in their
workplace do they need to regain some
correspondence.
TWA focuses on
the demands the environment makes of the
individual (ability requirements) and
the way the environment reinforces the
individual's values and interests.
TWA stresses a more two way interaction.
Adjustment
The theory was designed to explain how
the environment and the individual interact
to produce satisfaction for the worker, and
satisfactoriness for the place of
employment.
Hence, the theory was designed to explain
and predict tenure in a particular position.
Other factors influence tenure...
such as
geography,
economy,
physical disabilities.
Work adjustment:
a continuous and dynamic process by which
a worker seeks to achieve and maintain
correspondence with a work environment
Traits
TWA proposed some additional traits that
can account for differences in tenure ---
called ADJUSTMENT STYLES
Important to remember that each style can
be applied to Person or Environment
Theory of Work Adjustment
FLEXIBILITY
ACTIVENESS
REACTIVENESS
PERSEVERANCE
FLEXIBILITY
tolerance for discorrespondence before
acting on it - i.e., may not fulfill all needs,
but still happy --> Flexible.
ACTIVENESS
likelihood of attempting to change other.
REACTIVENESS
likelihood of attempting to change self.
PERSEVERANCE
tolerance for discorrespondence before exit.
Two predictors of tenure
Satisfaction
Satisfactoriness
Satisfaction
refers to the worker being satisfied with the
work one does
Satisfactoriness
refers to employer satisfaction with worker
performance
Assessment for TWA
Person
abilities
values
Environment
Ability patterns
Value patterns
Personal Abilities: General
Aptitude Test Battery
G: general learning ability
V: verbal ability
N: numerical ability
S: spatial ability
P: form perception
Q: clerical ability
K: eye-hand coordination
F: finger dexterity
M: manual dexterity
Values and Needs: Minnesota
Importance Questionnaire
Six values
Achievement
Comfort
Status
Altruism
Safety
Autonomy
Achievement
Ability utilization
Achievement
Comfort
Activity
Independence
Variety
Compensation
Security
Working Conditions
Status
Advancement
Recognition
Authority
Social Status
Altruism
Co-Workers
Moral Values
Social Service
Safety
Company policies and practices
Supervision-human relations
Supervision-technical
Autonomy
Creativity
Responsibility
Personality Styles
how an individual with particular abilities and
values interacts with his or her work situation
Celerity: speed with which one approaches tasks
Pace: effort one spends in working
Rhythm is the pattern of ones effort or pace
Endurance: concerns how long one is likely to
continue working at a task
No personality scales exist for
these constructs
Interests versus values
Interests are expressions of ability and
values
Interests are not included in their theory
Measuring the Requirements and
Conditions of the Occupations
Done by averaging the GATB and MIQ
scores for people in various occupations
Occupational Ability Patterns
procedures developed by the U. S.
Department of Labor to describe important
abilities for jobs
Individuals employed at various sites are
administered the GATB
Job analysts go to actual sites to perform
task anayses (K.S.A.)
Create a cutoff score with the GATB
Occupational reinforcer patterns:
how jobs fulfill values
Minnesota Job Description Questionnaire
The Minnesota Occupational
Classification System
combines ability and reinforcer patterns
1,769 occupations listing the combined
information about Occupational Ability
Patterns and Minnesota Job Description
Questionnaires
Concluding comments
TWA is less than comprehensive as a theory
of career counseling because it does not at
all address how one chooses a career or
develops into that career choice.
It is more focused on how one adjusts to a
career once they are in it.
While its contribution is valued as a theory,
it does not address a lot of career counseling
issues.
Ann Roes Personality Theory
Heavily influenced by writings of Abraham
Maslow
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological Needs
Safety Needs
Need for Belongingness
Need for importance, respect, self-esteem,
independence
Need for self-actualization
Need for information
Need for understanding
Need for beauty
Personality development
Experiences occurring in early childhood
are most influential in reinforcing or
weakening higher order needs
Hypotheses concerning early determinants
of vocational choice
Proposition 1
genetic inheritance sets limits to potential
development of all characteristics
probable that genetic elements affect
abilities and temperament more than
interests and attitudes
Proposition 2
the degrees and avenues of development of
inherited characteristics are affected not
only by experiences unique to the
individual, but also by all aspects of the
general cultural background and socio-
economic position of the family
Proposition 3
the pattern of development of interests,
attitudes and other personality variables
with relatively little or nonspecific genetic
control is primarily determined by
individual experiences through which
involuntary attention becomes channeled in
particular directions
Proposition 3 corollaries
these directions are determined in the first
place by te patterning of early satisfactions
and frustrations
the modes and degrees of need satisfaction
determine which needs will become the
strongest motivators. The nature of the
motivation may be quite unconscious
 needs satisfied routinely as they appear do not
become unconscious motivators
needs, for which even minimum satisfaction is
rarely achieved, will, if higher order, become
expunged or will, if lower order, prevent the
appearance of higher order needs and will become
dominant and restricting motivators
needs, the satisfaction of which is delayed, but
eventually accomplished, will become
unconscious motivators
Propositions 4 and 5
the pattern of psychic energies is the major
determinants of interests
the intensity of these needs and their
organization are the major determinants of
motivation that reaches expression in
accomplishment
Eight Occupational Groups
Service: doing something for another
person
Business Contact: persuading others
Organization: management
 Technology: making, producing, maintaining, and
transporting products
Outdoor: protection of the environment and
production of crops and forest products
Science: development and application of science
General Culture: interest in human activity and
culture
Arts and Entertainment: performing for the public
or create
Six Levels of Occupations
professional and managerial 1
professional and managerial 2
semiprofessional and small business
skilled
semi-skilled
unskilled
Instruments
Career Occupational Preference System
Vocational Interest Inventory