Job complexity and employee substance use: The moderating effects of cognitive ability

This study examines the extent to which individuals' general cognitive abil ity influences relations between the complexity of their jobs and their use of four different substances: cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. We tested this possibility using 1992 and 1982 data sets from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (Center for Human Resource Research 1993). Th e 1992 data set included 7,112 individuals and measures of all four substan ces. The 1982 set included 8,548 individuals and a measure of alcohol use o nly. Our results showed that for three of the substances (cigarettes, alcoh ol and marijuana), individuals responded differently to job complexity as a function of their cognitive ability. Specifically, for individuals low in cognitive ability, the more complex their jobs, the greater their use of ci garettes, alcohol, and marijuana. On the other hand, for those with high co gnitive ability, the more complex their jobs, the lower their use of these substances. Results also showed that cognitive ability had no significant i mpact on the association between job complexity and cocaine use. In sum, ou r findings suggest that providing employees with jobs that are compatible w ith their general cognitive ability may result in lower levels of licit and illicit substance use.