The Relationship of Technology to Workers’ Alienation

During much of the twentieth century, research on the effects of technology on work exemplified one of two themes. One, grounded in Marx, Mills, and Braverman, pointed to the destructive impacts of technology on employees summarized here by the term alienation. The alternative theme, seen in Blauner, Woodward, and Trist, argued that the technologies of production did not necessarily lead to adverse impacts on employees. We test these themes with data from a survey completed in 1972–73 of a representative sample of 1,455 employed Americans, both white-collar and blue-collar, from various industries. Results indicate some qualified support for Blauner’s predictions. The technological type of job has a statistically significant impact on the dependent variables, but the impact is moderate. However, personal characteristics and contextual factors have more powerful effects. Findings from the survey are updated with data on shifts in occupational structure and in attitudes and shifts in technology throughout the economy.