Repercusiones psicosociales del desempleo

Abstract

The present work addresses the problem of unemployment from a psychosociological point of view. It incorporases comprehensive sociology proposals, the theory of the social construction of reality and some psychoiogical theories constructed around unemployment phenomenon. The purpose is to show that the unemployment becomes a personal experience that destroys the sense and meaning of daily life of those affected. The methodological approach is based on the phenomenological method. Because of basic research target (which is to know how unemployment is experienced), the qualitative method was selected. The main research findings are: unemployment is understood as a process of life experience, through which an unemployed subject is lacking his capacity to act. The appraisal of work provides the subject with series of experience pattems and action schemes that permit him to classify himself as an employee. As a result of this selfclassification, a subject has access to a specific life style, relatively stable social and economic position and a significant pattern of everyday actions, as well as to significant social relations. The selfperception as an unemployed person destroys these schemes and capacity of action.