ABSTRACT
Work and occupation derive from the fundamental needs to satisfy hunger and thirst, and to provide for bodily care and shelter. This chapter deals chiefly with the psychological aspects of work. It begins with a consideration of the objective nature of work, the influence of the machine upon the worker, and the effects of fatigue and monotony on efficiency and personal satisfaction. Conditions of work such as wages, fatigue, monotony and plant comforts, and family and community factors all influence morale, as do various subjective states themselves. Many theories and explanations have been offered, as to why men work, what the incentives to labor are, and what produces or induces morale among workers. The chapter discusses the problems of emotional maladjustment among workers. It provides a discussion on the special difficulties arising from prolonged unemployment. The chapter examines briefly some aspects of personality adaptation under conditions of prolonged unemployment.
