The Psychology of Working by David Blustein

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The Psychology of Workingby David Blustein

• 2006 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
• ISBN 0-8058-4376 -0 (hardcover), -2 (paperback)

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Contents (Chapters only)

1. Psychology and the Experiences of Working A
   Blurred Focus That is Sharpening
2. The Changing Nature of Work in the 21st Century
3. Working as a Means of Survival and Power
4. Working as a Means of Social Connection
5. Working as a Means of Self-Determination
6. Social Barriers and Working Exploring Race,
   Gender, Sexual Orientation, Disability Status,
   and Social Class at Work
7. Implications of an Inclusive Psychology of
   Working for Research and Theory
8. Implications of an Inclusive Psychology of
   Working for Practice Counseling and
   Psychotherapy
9. Toward an Inclusive Psychological Practice
10. Conclusion The Future of Psychology of Working

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• In this book, Blustein challenges us to broaden
  our view of the role work plays in the lives of
  individuals in terms of mental and emotional
  health as well as our assumptions as to
  inclusiveness of occupational counseling
  practices. As you can see by the Table of
  Contents listing, this a book largely directed at
  the counseling profession in general and
  therapists in particular. While most of us might
  occupy roles other than that of therapist, I
  found some very useful information that Id like
  to share with you today. I will do so in the form
  of a brief summary based on reoccurring themes in
  the book as opposed to a chapter-by-chapter
  narrative.

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• First of all, you need to know that this book is
  not easy reading or at least it was not to me.
  Quite frankly, I have read better-written books.
  Nonetheless, Blustein offers some very expansive
  views of just how were doing as a society
  recognizing first how work affects people and
  also the degree to which the masses have
  opportunities to explore the world of work as
  career development professionals advocate. Please
  allow me to clarify both of these topics as well
  as offer my thoughts on what his ideas mean to
  those of us responsible for working with young
  people during adolescence and early adulthood.

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The Effects of Work on an Individual

• On page 107 Blustein states Despite Freuds
  dictum that one needs to be able to love and work
  in order to live an effective life, relatively
  little clinical literature has focused on the
  role of working in psychotherapy.
• After giving appropriate nods to such
  theoreticians as Freud, Erikson, Axelrod, Super,
  Marx, Neff, and Herr, Blustein offers his own
  integrative taxonomy of the three core
  functions that working has the potential to
  fulfill. (p. 21) They are
• Work as a Means for Survival and Power
• Work as a Means of Social Connection
• Work as a Means of Self-Determination
• More on these functions later now is a good
  time to interject several familiar motivation
  theories in order to best frame Blusteins model.

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Motivation Theories

• Maslow
• Self-actualization needs
• Self-esteem needs
• Belonging needs
• Safety needs
• Physiological needs

Alderfer Growth desires Growth
desires Relatedness desires Existence
desires Existence desires
McClelland Achievement needs Power needs
Affiliation needs
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The Three Core Functions

• Survival and Power Blustein contends that, even
  though the focus of theories like Maslows tends
  to be on the higher order needs, the focus for
  the vast majority of workers is on the
  fundamental need that work serves in providing
  people with a means of feeding and housing
  themselves and their loved ones. (p. 71)
  Concerning power, he contends that By
  developing systematic access to the resources
  necessary for survival, one can ideally
  consolidate greater power (p. 73) His list of
  resources includes education, knowledge, money,
  social status, and prestige. (p. 73)

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• Social Connection Blustein emphasizes the
  Relational Approach to working, stating that,
  The perspective that is emerging from diverse
  lines of inquiry is based on the notion that
  human beings have a natural, inherent striving
  for connection, attachment, and intimate
  relationships. (p.95) This notion is of
  importance to the author because he supports the
  view that, relational perspectives suggest
  that feelings of anger or rage, which some
  theoreticians view as inherent to human
  condition, are actually secondary or derivative
  experiences, emerging from relational lapses and
  disappointments. (p. 95)

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• Self-Determination This view of work is, for
  me, the most difficult to grasp but my view of
  what Blustein is espousing falls along these
  lines While the ideal strategy to create and
  maintain motivation in the workplace is through
  methodical, proactive career planning in which,
  people at work have have an opportunity to
  manifest or express their interests in the world
  of work, (p. 115), Blustein contends that most
  do not have this option. In the absence of
  proactive planning, which results in having a
  career that is intrinsically motivating, he
  believes that we must help most workers find ways
  to view their existing extrinsically motivating
  jobs from a more internalized perspective. The
  author suggests an examination of the following
  needs workers have would be useful need for
  autonomy, need for relatedness, need for
  competence, need for value congruence (with the
  organization, and access to opportunity. (pp.
  132-144)

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The Wellness Wheel Analogy

• In an attempt to get Blusteins core functions
  discussion to hang together for me, I was drawn
  to one of the main tools I use in my freshman
  orientation class. Its called the Wellness Wheel
  (Transitions, 2006-2006) and it is based on the
  idea of having balance in ones life in and among
  the following areas
• Intellectual
• Social
• Physical
• Spiritual
• Emotional
• Occupational
• The inclusion of the term wheel is intentional
  if there is not balance, you are attempting to
  roll through life on an out-of-round tire! I
  believe this concept fits nicely with Blusteins
  core functions offering in its implication that
  life is made up of many different facets, all of
  which need ones attention and consideration.

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Opportunities to Explore the World of Work

• Blustein position on the applicability of the
  traditional career planning model to the masses
  is clear. On page 3 he states My thinking is
  that the notion of career (reflecting a
  hierarchical and planned series of jobs that are
  thoughtfully selected) is deeply embedded in a
  sociocultural framework that is relevant to only
  a minority of individuals around the globe. He
  labels this thoughtfully selected path the
  grand career narrative (p. 111) and argues that
  changes in the workplace brought on to a large
  degree by globalization make this concept
  unattainable for most workers.

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• His goal is to correct this situation and one
  obvious path he would like to see involves
  education. He advocates a domain-sensitive
  approach in which the full array of human
  experiences is encompassed. (pp. 254-255) He
  also advocates the fostering of critical
  consciousness which he defines as an
  individuals ability to reflect upon the broad
  structural aspects of the world and to take
  action on these observations. (p. 280)
  Understanding the ramifications of outsourcing
  brought on by globalization is an example of this
  concept.
• Finally, Blustein recommends an experience-near
  approach to working with individuals in order to
  help them connect with the work environment.(p.25)

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Where do we fit in?

• Blustein states, on page 26, that working is the
  battleground for social justice as working offers
  us the most direct access to the power structure
  and to greater equality in opportunities.
  Education obviously plays a large role in
  preparing citizens for workplace participation
  and Blustein addresses this fact as follows
• Students who are able to internalize the
  connection between school and work are in a much
  better position to become engaged in school and
  develop their basic skills. (p. 304)
• One of the most important points described in
  numerous studies and reviews is that school and
  work ought to be connected explicitly to academic
  curriculum, support services, and extracurricular
  activities. (p. 309)

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• Finally, Blustein offers a check list of
  factors that play a role in helping youth to
  move adaptively into a sustainable and
  growth-oriented work role. (p. 263) As a way of
  concluding, I list these factors (pp. 263-264) in
  the hope that they will be useful to you in
  evaluating your efforts, whether individually
  initiated, school-based or as part of the EEDA,
  in advancing the charge the author puts forth
  to elevate the view of the role work plays in the
  life of an individual.
• Clear competencies in basic academic skills and
  in more vocationally focused skills.
• Self-initiated motivation, flexibility, and
  planfulness.
• Engaged and accessible relational support system,
  including family members, peers, teachers, and
  related educators, counselors, job supervisors,
  and co-workers.
• An educational environment that offers rigorous
  connection to work-based learning and that
  emphasizes school and work linkages.

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For a copy of this PowerPoint or other
information, please contact David Hunter at
davidh_at_gwm.sc.edu or [phone]