The Hierarchical Position and Length of Service as Determinants of Accidents Naive Explanations: A Study of a Romanian Enterprize
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24837/pru.v5i2.330Keywords:
accident, risk perception, fatalism, causal attribution, socioprofessional status, hierarchical position, length of serviceAbstract
This article aimed at examining accidents' causal attributions by employees from a Romanian company according to their hierarchical position and their length of service. We particularly investigated how workers and their supervisors perceived risks and occupational accidents' causes. Participants were 114 employees, included 30 supervisors and 84 workers. They all belonged to the most exposed departments of the factory observed. The material used derived from the fatalism scale elaborated by Kouabenan (1998) and his risk perception and accidents' causal explanation scale (Kouabenan (1996). As far as possible we adapted this material to the Romanian context. The results showed that the employees had an accurate perception of the risks inherent in their work environment (pollution, occupational accidents, traffic accidents). There was no clear effect of the hierarchical position on causal attributions for the accidents. Both workers as well as their supervisors made more external attributions. However, workers held more fatalistic beliefs than supervisors. In the same way, the length of service didn't affect causal attributions for accidents, but affect the adherence to fatalistic beliefs. Less experienced employees believe more in fate than more experienced employees. All in all, the results of this study tend to confirm those of previous work (Kouabenan, 1996; Beauvois & Dubois, 1988; Yeray & Oskelys, 2001). Implications and possible preventive measures derived from these results were discussed.
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References
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Bradley, G.W. (1978). Self serving biases in the attribution process: A re-examination of the fact or fiction question. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 56-71.
Brickman, P., Ryan, K., & Wortman (1975). Causal chains: Attribution of responsibility as a function of immediate and prior causes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 1060-1067.
Brown, I.D., & Groeger, J.A. (1988). Risk perception and decision taking during the transition between novice and experienced driver status. Ergonomics, 31, 585-597.
Burger, J.M. (1981). Motivational biases in the attribution of responsibility for an accident: A meta-analysis of the defensive attribution hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 90, 496-512.
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Fiorino, D.J. (1989). Technical and democratic values in risk analysis. Risk Analysis, 9, 293-299.
Gyekye, A.S. & Salminen, S. (2004). Causal attributions of Ghanaian industrial workers for accident occurrence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 34, 11, 2324-2342.
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Kouabenan, D.R. (1982). Gravité des conséquences d'un accident et attributions causales. Psychologie du Travail: Perspectives 1990, 606-616.
Kouabenan, D.R. (1985). L'analyse des attributions causales des accidents. Le travail Humain, 48, 1-17.
Kouabenan, D.R. (1996). Rôle du statut social dans l'identification des causes d'accidents. Psychologie du Travail et des Organisations, 2, 35-48.
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Kouabenan, D.R. (2000). Explication ordinaire des accidents, perception des risques et stratégies de protection. Pratiques Psychologiques, 1, 85-97.
Kouabenan, D.R. (2002). Occupation, driving experience, and risk and accident perception. Journal of Risk Research, 5, 49-68.
Kouabenan, D.R., Desrichard, O., Dubois, M., De Gaudemaris, R., Mallaret, M.R., & Scarnato, F., (2003). Du diagnostic épidémiologique à la perception des risques de contamination par le SAMR (staphylocoque doré) en milieu hospitalier. In D.R. Kouabenan, & M. Dubois (eds), Les risques professionnels : évolution des approches. Nouvelles perspectives (pp.87-104). Toulouse : Editions Octarès.
Kouabenan, D.R., Dubois, M., Scarnato, F., De Gaudemaris, R., & Mallaret, M.R. (2007). Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Risk Perception by Healthcare Personnel in a Public Hospital. Social Behavior and Personality, 35 (1), 89-100.
Kouabenan, D.R., Gilbert, D., Medina, M., Bouzon, F., (2001). Hierarchical position, gender, accident severity and causal attribution. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31, 3, 553-575.
Mitchell, T.R., & Kalb, L.S. (1982). Effects of job experience on supervisor attributions for a subordinate's poor performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 181-188.
Mitran, A. (2006). Industria metalurgica a facut cele mai multe victime in 2005. Gazeta de Olt, 3 Mai, 2006.
Rumar, K. (1988). Collective risk but individual safety. Ergonomics, 31, 507-518.
Salminen, S. (1992). Defensive attribution hypothesis and serious occupational accidents. Psychological Reports, 70, 1195-1199.
Slovic, P., Fischhoff, B., & Lichtenstein, S. (1981). Perceived risk: Psychological factors and social implications. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A376, 17-34.
Slovic, P., Flynn, J.H., & Layman, M. (1991). Perceived risk, trust and the politics of nuclear waste. Science, 254, 1603-1607.
Sullivan, B., Haunschild, P.R., (2002). Learning from complexity: effects of prior accidents ans incidents on airlines learning. Administrative Science Quarterly, Dec.
Svenson, O. (1981). Are we all less risky and more skilful than our fellow drivers ? Acta Psychologica, 47, 143-148.
Yeray, R., Oskelys, V., (2001). An exploratory analysis of safety causal attributions in aircraft dispatch and maintenance departments. http://www.universidadlaguna.com.
Bradley, G.W. (1978). Self serving biases in the attribution process: A re-examination of the fact or fiction question. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 56-71.
Brickman, P., Ryan, K., & Wortman (1975). Causal chains: Attribution of responsibility as a function of immediate and prior causes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 1060-1067.
Brown, I.D., & Groeger, J.A. (1988). Risk perception and decision taking during the transition between novice and experienced driver status. Ergonomics, 31, 585-597.
Burger, J.M. (1981). Motivational biases in the attribution of responsibility for an accident: A meta-analysis of the defensive attribution hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 90, 496-512.
Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Maladie des Travailleurs Salariés (CNAMTS) (2007). Statistiques accidents du travail, http://www.risquesprofessionnels.ameli.fr/fr/accidents_du_travail_2/accidents_du_travail_2_stats_gen_1.php
Chivu, L. (2006). Downward trend in number of workplace accidents. http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/2006/07/RO0607029I.html
Cuny, X., Gaillard, I. (2003). Les risques professionnels aujourd'hui : problèmes actuels, perspectives et orientations méthodologiques. In Kouabenan, D.R. & Dubois, M. (Eds). Les risques professionnels : évolution des approches, nouvelles perspectives (p25-36). Toulouse : Octarès.
Dejoy, D.M. (1987). Supervisor attributions and responses for multicausal workplace accidents. Journal of Occupational Accidents, 9, 213-223.
Evenimentul Zilei, (2007). Enquête sur les heures de travail en Europe, www.expres.ro,
Fiorino, D.J. (1989). Technical and democratic values in risk analysis. Risk Analysis, 9, 293-299.
Gyekye, A.S. & Salminen, S. (2004). Causal attributions of Ghanaian industrial workers for accident occurrence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 34, 11, 2324-2342.
Hamilton, V.L. (1986). Chains of command: Responsibility attribution in hierarchies Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 16, 118-138.
Heider, F. (1958). The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations. New York: Wiley. Institut National de Recherche et Sécurité (INRS), (2007). Dossier Statistiques 2006. http://www.inrs.fr/inrspub/inrs01.nsf/IntranetObject
Jones, E.E., & Davis, K.E. (1965). From acts to dispositions. The attribution process in person perception. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2, 219-266. New York : Academic Press.
Kelley, H.H. (1967). Attribution theory in social psychology. In D. Levine (Ed.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (192-237). University of Nebraska Press.
Kelley, H.H., & Michela, J.L. (1980). Attribution theory and research. Annual Review of Psychology, 31, 457-501.
Kelley, H.H., & Michela, J.L. (1980). Attribution theory and research. Annual Review of Psychology, 31, 457-501.
Kouabenan, D.R. & Alladoum, D. (1997). Répercussions psychologiques et socio-économiques d'une situation de non-emploi consécutive à un accident du travail. Carriérologie, Nos. 3/4, 339-360.
Kouabenan, D.R. (1982). Gravité des conséquences d'un accident et attributions causales. Psychologie du Travail: Perspectives 1990, 606-616.
Kouabenan, D.R. (1985). L'analyse des attributions causales des accidents. Le travail Humain, 48, 1-17.
Kouabenan, D.R. (1996). Rôle du statut social dans l'identification des causes d'accidents. Psychologie du Travail et des Organisations, 2, 35-48.
Kouabenan, D.R. (1998). Beliefs and the perception of risks and accidents. Risk Analysis, An International Journal, 18(3), 243-252.
Kouabenan, D.R. (1999). Explication naïve de l'accident et prévention. Paris : Presses Universitaires de France.
Kouabenan, D.R. (2000). Explication ordinaire des accidents, perception des risques et stratégies de protection. Pratiques Psychologiques, 1, 85-97.
Kouabenan, D.R. (2002). Occupation, driving experience, and risk and accident perception. Journal of Risk Research, 5, 49-68.
Kouabenan, D.R., Desrichard, O., Dubois, M., De Gaudemaris, R., Mallaret, M.R., & Scarnato, F., (2003). Du diagnostic épidémiologique à la perception des risques de contamination par le SAMR (staphylocoque doré) en milieu hospitalier. In D.R. Kouabenan, & M. Dubois (eds), Les risques professionnels : évolution des approches. Nouvelles perspectives (pp.87-104). Toulouse : Editions Octarès.
Kouabenan, D.R., Dubois, M., Scarnato, F., De Gaudemaris, R., & Mallaret, M.R. (2007). Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Risk Perception by Healthcare Personnel in a Public Hospital. Social Behavior and Personality, 35 (1), 89-100.
Kouabenan, D.R., Gilbert, D., Medina, M., Bouzon, F., (2001). Hierarchical position, gender, accident severity and causal attribution. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31, 3, 553-575.
Mitchell, T.R., & Kalb, L.S. (1982). Effects of job experience on supervisor attributions for a subordinate's poor performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 181-188.
Mitran, A. (2006). Industria metalurgica a facut cele mai multe victime in 2005. Gazeta de Olt, 3 Mai, 2006.
Rumar, K. (1988). Collective risk but individual safety. Ergonomics, 31, 507-518.
Salminen, S. (1992). Defensive attribution hypothesis and serious occupational accidents. Psychological Reports, 70, 1195-1199.
Slovic, P., Fischhoff, B., & Lichtenstein, S. (1981). Perceived risk: Psychological factors and social implications. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A376, 17-34.
Slovic, P., Flynn, J.H., & Layman, M. (1991). Perceived risk, trust and the politics of nuclear waste. Science, 254, 1603-1607.
Sullivan, B., Haunschild, P.R., (2002). Learning from complexity: effects of prior accidents ans incidents on airlines learning. Administrative Science Quarterly, Dec.
Svenson, O. (1981). Are we all less risky and more skilful than our fellow drivers ? Acta Psychologica, 47, 143-148.
Yeray, R., Oskelys, V., (2001). An exploratory analysis of safety causal attributions in aircraft dispatch and maintenance departments. http://www.universidadlaguna.com.
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Published
2020-01-21
How to Cite
Oprea Ciobanu, R., & Kouabenan, D. R. (2020). The Hierarchical Position and Length of Service as Determinants of Accidents Naive Explanations: A Study of a Romanian Enterprize. Psihologia Resurselor Umane, 5(2), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.24837/pru.v5i2.330
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