Family Farmers ' Reactions to Their Work: A Job Diagnostic Survey

Responses of family farmers to the Job Diagnostic Survey were exam-ined to assess the internal rewards farmers receive from their work. It is suggested that family farmers ' high motivation and commitment to farming are largely influenced by the positive job characteristics associated with farming. According to surveys of American workers, external rewards such as sal-ary, benefits, and prestige rank h igh among the quali t ies of good jobs (Jurgensen, 1978). However, the organizat ional research also indicates cont inua l problems with many typical workers in the areas of turnover (Mobley, 1982), j o b satisfaction (Locke, 1976), mot iva t ion (Steers and Porter, 1987), and job commi tmen t (Mowday, Porter, and Steers, 1982). In contrast, family farmers are generally perceived to have h igh j o b satisfac-tion, low turnover, an overwhelming commi tment to their work, and a wil l ingness to work long hours for little pay (O 'Br ien, 1986). Fami ly farmers appear wi l l ing to cont inue farming even though they may lose money or even their farms (Benesch, 1986). When family farmers are encouraged to quit work and leave their farms, they react bitterly (Farmer, 1986; Hargrove, 1986) and occasionally violently (Malcolm, 1986). In the context of the problems associated with the stereotypic "industrialized' worker, the family farmer is an enigma. Fami ly farmers have suffered major f inancial difficulties recently, as evidenced by the percentage of delinquent farm loans and the number of foreclosures (Chibnik, 1987). A recent survey of one sample of family farmers (Pederson, Watt, and Vreugdenil, 1985) indicated that 23 percent Note: A portion of this research was presented at the meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, 1986. We appreciate the contributions of the students of the Winter 1985 Industrial Psychology class to this research, We als