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Spontaneous Explanations for Work Events Among Individuals in an Occupational Crisis

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Abstract

The way employees in an occupational crisis and other employees explain work events was analyzed. Two hundred and seventeen female participants gave spontaneous attributions for 7 positive and 7 negative hypothetical work events. The results showed that other-blame and a general negative emotional tone of the attributions most powerfully differentiated crisis individuals' attributions from noncrisis individuals' attributions. Future studies are required to determine whether negative attributions lead to occupational crises or whether occupational crises activate employees' tendencies to negative attributions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vantaa Employment Office, Vantaa, Finland

    Merja Hutri

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Marjaana Lindeman

Authors
  1. Merja Hutri
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  2. Marjaana Lindeman
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Hutri, M., Lindeman, M. Spontaneous Explanations for Work Events Among Individuals in an Occupational Crisis. Journal of Adult Development 11, 273–280 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JADE.0000044530.97044.1a

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JADE.0000044530.97044.1a

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