The effect of conditions of work and various suggested attitudes on production and reported feelings of tiredness and boredness

• Published in: Journal of applied psychology 1937-08, Vol.21 (4), p.431-450
• Main Authors: Taylor, J. H, Thompson, C. E, Spassoff, D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boredom; Employee Attitudes; Fatigue; Human; Monotony; Motivation; Working Conditions
• ISSN: 0021-9010; 1939-1854
• DOI: 10.1037/h0059514

In order to investigate certain problems of fatigue and boredom in a repetitive task, a simple apparatus involving the movement of disks through grooves by means of a stylus was constructed. All groups were given the same preliminary directions. Some of the subjects worked in groups, others individually. With a limited number of subjects (a total of 88) an analysis of work curves showed that under normal working conditions there was an inverse relationship between amount of work produced and reported feelings and observations of tiredness and boredness. Rewards facilitated production, but had little effect on reports of tiredness and boredness. Knowledge of a rest pause retards production immediately preceding the pause. Work in the somnambulistic trance (without suggestion) does not markedly affect production, but inhibits reports of tiredness and boredom. Talk and laughter tend to inhibit reports of tiredness and boredom. Subjects working alone produced more than those working in a group, but there was little difference between the two conditions in reports of tiredness and boredom. Positive motivation in the waking state facilitates production and inhibits feelings of tiredness and boredom. Negative motivation inhibits production, but has little effect on reports of tiredness and monotony. The trance condition causes the person to produce less than in the waking state, but to underestimate the time spent on the task.