What Drives Work Addicts to Action? The Extended Model of Work Craving. Issue 4 (4th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wojdylo, Kamila
• Is Part Of: Basic and applied social psychology. Volume 41:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 254
• Page End: 262
• Publication Date: 2019-07-04
• Subjects: Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302.05
• DOI: 10.1080/01973533.2019.1641815
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0197-3533

Abstract

Abstract: The theory of work craving highlights three pathological components of work addiction: the behavioral wanting component (an obsessive-compulsive desire for work), the hedonic liking components (the reduction of negative emotions and compensation for low self-worth), and the cognitive learning component (neurotic perfectionism). In this article, I link the theory of work craving with the theory of motivation and the incentive-sensitization theory of addiction and discuss three major issues: (a) obsessive-compulsive symptoms are not sufficient to diagnose workaholism; (b) two hedonic components of work craving, namely, activity-related and purpose-related incentives, should be considered; and (c) incentive-sensitization is an additional mechanism that may be prepotent for addictive working.