PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Karen DesCamp

Industrial/Organizational
May 1991

Play and Humor Use as Buffers of the Relationship Between Stress and Strain in the Nursing Population
 

    Job stress is of major concern in organizations today.  This study examined the effects of fun in work on the relationship between job stressors and strains.  Three types of fun were examined, “gaming” (experiencing work as a game), “goofing around,” and humor use.

    Seventy-two registered nurses completed a self-report, multiple-choice questionnaire measuring stress levels, amounts of gaming, goofing around and humor use experienced on the job, and strain levels.  It was hypothesized that each of the three measures of fun, gaming, goofing around and humor use, would buffer the effects of stressors on strains.  The hypothesis regarding goofing around was supported.  The relationship between stress and strain was weaker for nurses who reported goofing around on the job.  The hypotheses regarding gaming and humor use were not supported.  The implications of incorporating fun into the experience at work were discussed.

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