What factors contribute to the meaning of work? A validation of Morin\u2019s Meaning of Work Questionnaire

Anne Pignault,Claude Houssemand

doi:10.1186/s41155-020-00167-4

Abstract

BackgroundConsidering the recent and current evolution of work and the work context, the meaning of work is becoming an increasingly relevant topic in research in the social sciences and humanities, particularly in psychology. In order to understand and measure what contributes to the meaning of work, Morin constructed a 30-item questionnaire that has become predominant and has repeatedly been used in research in occupational psychology and by practitioners in the field. Nevertheless, it has been validated only in part.MethodMeaning of work questionnaire was conducted in French with 366 people (51.3% of women; age: (M = 39.11, SD = 11.25); 99.2% of whom were employed with the remainder retired). Three sets of statistical analyses were run on the data. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted on independent samples.ResultsThe questionnaire described a five-factor structure. These dimensions (Success and Recognition at work and of work, α = .90; Usefulness, α = .88; Respect for work, α = .88; Value from and through work, α = .83; Remuneration, α = .85) are all attached to a general second-order latent meaning of work factor (α = .96).ConclusionsValidation of the scale, and implications for health in the workplace and career counseling practices, are discussed.

Highlights

Since the end of the 1980s, many studies have been conducted to explore the meaning of work, in psychology (Rosso, Dekas, & Wrzesniewski, 2010)
* Correspondence: anne.pignault@univ-lorraine.fr 1Université de Lorraine, Psychology & Neuroscience Laboratory (2LPN, EA7489), 23 boulevard Albert 1er, 54000 Nancy, France Full list of author information is available at the end of the article (e.g., Harpaz, 1986; Harpaz & Fu, 2002; Morin, 2003; Meaning of work (MOW) International Research team, 1987), later research tried to connect this aspect of work with other psychological dimensions or individual perceptions of the work context (e.g., Harpaz & Meshoulam, 2010; Morin, 2008; Morin, Archambault, & Giroux, 2001; Rosso et al, 2010; Wrzesniewski, Dutton, & Debebe, 2003)
Scholars, those in organizational and occupational psychology, soon found it difficult to precisely identify the meaning of work because it changes in accordance with the conceptualizations of different researchers, the theoretical models used to describe it, and the tools that are available to measure it for individuals and for groups

Summary

Introduction

Since the end of the 1980s, many studies have been conducted to explore the meaning of work, in psychology (Rosso, Dekas, & Wrzesniewski, 2010). Whereas early studies on the meaning of work introduced the concept and its theoretical underpinnings (e.g., Harpaz, 1986; Harpaz & Fu, 2002; Morin, 2003; MOW International Research team, 1987), later research tried to connect this aspect of work with other psychological dimensions or individual perceptions of the work context (e.g., Harpaz & Meshoulam, 2010; Morin, 2008; Morin, Archambault, & Giroux, 2001; Rosso et al, 2010; Wrzesniewski, Dutton, & Debebe, 2003) Scholars, those in organizational and occupational psychology, soon found it difficult to precisely identify the meaning of work because it changes in accordance with the conceptualizations of different researchers, the theoretical models used to describe it, and the tools that are available to measure it for individuals and for groups.

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