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Abstract

In a study of the effects of variations in the levels of job demand on self-reported levels of job-related strain, an unanticipated gender differential was found. Higher levels of job demand were hypothesized to lead to higher levels of job-related strain. No differential effect due to gender was anticipated. Subjects in the high demand condition reported significantly more job-related strain than did subjects in the low demand condition. However, when an analysis of covariance was performed, gender showed an unexpected interaction effect with demand. Females experienced lower levels of strain in the low demand condition than did males. In the high demand condition, females experienced higher levels of strain than did males. This indicates that women were more sensitive to demand variations than men. This gender difference suggests that assignment of workers to certain positions based on gender may reduce overall levels of job-related strain.

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Gender Differences in the Strain Response to Job Demand

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