Work SOC110: Introduction to Sociology Sarah Goodrum, Ph'D'

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WorkSOC110 Introduction to SociologySarah
Goodrum, Ph.D.

• Job Satisfaction
• Occupational Prestige
• Origin of the Work Ethic

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Job Satisfaction (General Social Survey)

• Americans Job Satisfaction
• 42 are very satisfied
• 40 are moderately satisfied
• 5 are unsatisfied
• Would Choose the Same Job
• 80-90 of white-collar workers
• 24 of blue-collar workers

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Occupational Prestige

• Occupational prestige is determined by a system
  of values in society and by the perceived
  functional importance of the occupation.
• Paul Hatt and Cecil North (1947, 1964)
• 87 occupational titles
• each respondent was asked to rate the general
  standing of each job
• each occupation received a score between 20-100

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Origin of the Work Ethic(Max Weber 1958)

• The Protestant Work Ethic and . . .
• Martin Luther (1500-1550)
• God gave each person a calling
• God expected people to work hard at their calling
• People had a direct relationship with God
• John Calvin (1509-1564)
• predestination God had decided before a person
  was ever born whether he/she would be saved
• only thing people could do was work hard, to
  prove to self and others that one were saved
• because such hard workers, Calvinists became very
  wealthy

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Origin of the Work Ethic, Cont(Max Weber 1958)

• . . . the Spirit of Capitalism
• Protestant Reformation -gt new type of capitalism,
  which he believed was different from earlier
  varieties of capitalism
• rational capitalism the relentless unending
  accumulation of money is viewed as an end in
  itself, rather than as simply a means of
  obtaining valued goods and experiences.
• This type of capitalism emerged primarily in
  Protestant areas of northern Europe.
• Weber believed that Protestantism predated and
  led to rational capitalism.