This review of research on unemployment examines the prevalence of job loss, meaning of unemployment, individual outcomes, coping, effects on families, reemployment issues, and interventions. The article suggests additional research needed to understand the unemployment experience. Lists 91 references. (SK)

A study of 172 older workers found that career commitment and occupational-goal attainment play a central role in planned retirement age. Age and retirement-income satisfaction had the most significant relationship to planned retirement age. Job satisfaction was not strongly related to retirement intentions. (SK)

Time-, strain-, and behavior-based dimensions of work/family conflict were examined for 225 workers. Each dimension had unique dispositional or situational antecedents. Negative affectivity was the strongest predictor of work/family conflict. (SK)

In a study of 221 employees, perceptions of organizational culture and discrepancy between ideal and actual culture predicted both task performance and contextual (altruism, conscientiousness, organizational citizenship) performance. Organizational warmth, organizational competence, and reward were significant predictors of contextual performance.…

Surveys of 141 upper/middle managers and 418 university employees demonstrated that higher organizational commitment decreased the link between organizational politics and job tension. For managers, commitment decreased the effect of politics on intention to quit. (SK)

A study of 933 German adolescents showed that identity achievers displayed the most exploratory behavior, those in identity diffusion the least. Parent behavior had strong, direct impact on childhood exploration. The breadth of childhood exploration was the strongest predictor of adolescent exploration. (SK)

Describes the contributions of Elton Mayo and the Hawthorne research team at Western Electric to the foundations of employee counseling; characteristics of 1940s-1950s counseling programs; and the historical role of mental health in industrial/occupational psychology. (SK)

Comparison of part-time employees (142 moonlighters, 365 students, 661 earning supplemental income, 556 primary breadwinners) and 850 full-time workers showed that part timers were more likely to be female, under 30, and earn over 50% of family income. Moonlighters' commitment was influenced by different variables than that of other part-timers.…

Results of a comparison of 113 insurance company employees who left voluntarily with 113 who stayed supported a relationship between absenteeism, performance ratings, and voluntary turnover. There was no significant interaction effect. (SK)

Managers' and professionals' (n=276) perceptions of a supportive work/family culture were related to use of work-family benefits. Employees in organizations with work-family benefits reported greater commitment, less intention to leave, and less work-family conflict. Supportive culture was significantly related to work attitudes. (SK)

Two studies showed that positive and negative affectivity influenced occupational stress, role strain, and coping. Study 3 added job satisfaction to the model, strengthening its predictive validity. Study 4's addition of personality measures did not improve prediction of job satisfaction and strain. (SK)

When first-year master's degree students were paired with second-year peer mentors, psychosocial mentoring had a positive effect on political and performance socialization, and career-related mentoring positively affected organizational relationships. Those who received more mentoring reported greater ability to cope with stress. (SK)

Two Holland-style congruence indices computed for 16 occupational samples did not show significant correlations between job satisfaction and congruence for 12 samples and very small relationships for the other 4. Using congruence measures to predict job satisfaction may be more efficacious for workers entering new fields than for the more…

Over one year, 43 employees participating in a formal mentoring program were compared with 30 who never had mentors. Formal mentoring correlated with significantly greater job satisfaction and a small, not significant effect on organizational commitment. The two groups did not differ in terms of work-role stress or self-esteem. (SK)

A cross-sectional study (n=3,663) and a longitudinal study (n=61) of employed persons found that openness to experience increases job-decision latitude. This effect is neutralized, however, by poor interpersonal relationships at work. (SK)