01.09.2020New article on motivational and cognitive processes during work stress surveys (EJWOP)

To deepen our understanding of motivational and cognitive processes when individuals respond to work stress surveys, we used a qualitative, grounded theory approach. We interviewed employees after they responded to representative items, asking them about their thoughts, motivational processes, potential factors that might have biased their responses, and the contexts they considered when responding. Since organizations are often also interested in other-reports of stress at work, we also interviewed supervisors and co-workers. The findings of this study suggest that more specific and context-rich wording of items may lead to a more reliable and comparable assessment of stressors and resources at work.

Greulich, B., Debus, M. E., Kleinmann, M., & König, C. J. (2020). Response Behavior in Work Stress Surveys: A Qualitative Study on Motivational and Cognitive Processes in Self- and Other-Reports. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 30, 40-57. doi:10.1080/1359432X.2020.1812580

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