Psycho-Social Aspects of Work: A Critique of Occupational Information.

This article focuses on psycho-social aspects of work and by doing this it presents a critique of occupational information. It is demonstrable that resources in occupational information have remained relatively insulated in recent years. The article author is concerned here with the nature of occupational information available to counselor and client. The picture, occupational information presents today, is one of the economic man. It is a one dimensional portrayal of man who lives by bread alone. It is quite interesting that the greatest contribution in this area seems to be made by the occasional picture which typically reveals by the expression on the face of the worker, his posture, his inferred relationship with the person interacting, something of important relationships. Against the concept of the economic man one must postulate the concept of the psychological man. The article author is concerned with both concepts in the utilization of insights and understandings of man at work. The author refers here to the worker's role, his ability to work at a task that is congruent with his identity, the exercise of his values and attitudes, considerations of status, ways of meeting anxiety, patterns of interaction with others, out-of-work style of life, and totally, the way in which his personality needs will be met.