2023 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 21-31
This study examined the association of differences in sensitivity to punishment (behavioral inhibition/avoidance system [BIS]) and reward (behavioral activation system [BAS]) on workplace contextual evaluation perspective, coping selection, the workplace approach, and workplace stress. The study recruited 662 newly employed graduate participants (297 men and 365 women, mean age: 25.3±2.2 years). The study classified the participants into four groups: BIS-dominant, BAS-dominant, both-high, and both-low. The results demonstrated that the BIS-dominant group was more likely to evaluate the workplace context from the perspective of others, engage in avoidant coping, and were less likely to engage in the workplace approach. The BAS-dominant and both-high groups were more likely to evaluate the workplace context from the perspective of the self and others, were problem-focused, and employed avoidant coping and the workplace approach. The stress response was the lowest in the BAS-dominant group. The both-high group was comparable to the BIS-dominant group. The both-low group displayed generally low levels of all the variables. Based on these results, the study formulated workplace stress management methods according to the degrees of BIS and BAS.
