Buunk, De Jonge, Ybema and De Wolff high­ l ight a long-recognized problem: the negative effects of the work situation upon health. Only during the past few decades has the term "health" been expanded to encompass mental health, and the influence of the psychosocial aspects of the working environment begun to be considered. The principal idea in this respect is stress. G iven how central work is in many people 's l ives, the circumstances of and events at their work have the potential to create strongly negative emotions. The perspective offered in this chapter is socio­ psychological, emphasizing the social factors involved in the development and processing of negative emotions which may arise from stress at work.