ABSTRACT
A hallmark of modern societies is the centrality of work and work-related activities (e.g., preparation for work and careers). Most adults are expected to spend the majority of their waking hours engaged in work- or career-focused endeavors into the foreseeable future (Donaldson, Gooler, & Weiss, 1998). A large body of research now suggests that work and careers are of primary importance, both socially and personally, for individuals across the globe. For example, the nature of one's work often imposes a schedule and structure on one's life, establishes patterns of social interaction, dictates economic status and well-being, provides others with a means of judging one's status and personal worth, and consequently becomes a major determinant of healthful adjustment and overall quality of life (Donaldson & Weiss, 1998). These conditions present psychologists with an array of settings to use psychological science to promote human welfare.
