 |
 |
The Human Nature Review 2002 Volume 2: 164-165 ( 1 May ) URL of this document http://human-nature.com/nibbs/02/stress.html Book Review Stress at Work: A Sociological Perspective by Chris L. Peterson, Baywood Publishing, Amityville, NY, 1999 Reviewed by Roger D. Masters, Nelson A. Rockefeller Professor of Government, Emeritus; President, Foundation for Neuroscience and Society, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA. Researchers in Evolutionary Psychology and in other fields that apply biological perspectives to the analysis of human behavior are often puzzled by the wall of silence or hostility to this research by conventional social scientists. In genetics, neuroscience, ethology, sociobiology, and medicine, we are witnessing astounding advances. Many of these new fields can transform understanding of individual and social human behavior. With an estimated 83 million Americans on Prozac, why are so few social scientists even vaguely interested? Peterson's Stress and Work suggests an answer. The author has presented a sober attempt to link all available work on stress and work environments. He cites publications from an impressive variety of scientific perspectives. Given his focus on a sociological approach, it is especially interesting that he begins from the physiological studies of stress pioneered by Selye and expanded over the last generation by Mason, Cannon, and others. Peterson then surveys "psychological" perspectives before turning to sociological factors with a special emphasis on analyses of "labor process," social class and the work environment, and health outcomes. Full text http://human-nature.com/nibbs/02/stress.html Other reviews at http://human-nature.com/nibbs/contents.html LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be addressed to [log in to unmask]