Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Value Dimensions, Meaning, and Complexity in Human Occupation – A Tentative Structure for Analysis.

Persson, Dennis LU ; Erlandsson, Lena-Karin LU ; Eklund, Mona LU orcid and Iwarsson, Susanne LU (2001) In Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 8(1). p.7-18
Abstract
In occupational therapy and occupational science, it is important to clarify the perspective from which the analysis of occupation is addressed. The purpose of this paper is to present a tentative structure for describing occupation, allowing for analysis in a lifelong panorama as well as for the immediate experience a person acquires from performing a single occupation. The concept of occupational value is introduced as a prerequisite for meaning, defining three different dimensions: concrete, symbolic, and self-reward value. A dynamic categorisation of single occupations is presented, considering each unique occupational performance viewed from a macro, meso, and a micro perspective, inspired by dynamic systems theory. It is proposed... (More)
In occupational therapy and occupational science, it is important to clarify the perspective from which the analysis of occupation is addressed. The purpose of this paper is to present a tentative structure for describing occupation, allowing for analysis in a lifelong panorama as well as for the immediate experience a person acquires from performing a single occupation. The concept of occupational value is introduced as a prerequisite for meaning, defining three different dimensions: concrete, symbolic, and self-reward value. A dynamic categorisation of single occupations is presented, considering each unique occupational performance viewed from a macro, meso, and a micro perspective, inspired by dynamic systems theory. It is proposed that all occupations are meaningful if they are integrated parts of a person's occupational continuity, and that it is the interaction between the mentioned three perspectives that determines their meaningfulness. With an explicit focus on value and meaning as perceived by the unique person, occupational therapists will become more skilled in designing meaningful occupational therapy interventions. This paper is a contribution to the development of occupational science as well as to occupational therapy, but the theoretical framework presented must be empirically tested in order to demonstrate its validity. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Dynamic, Systems, Meaning, Occupational, Categories, Science, Value
in
Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy
volume
8
issue
1
pages
7 - 18
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:0034956954
ISSN
1651-2014
DOI
10.1080/11038120119727
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Occupational Therapy (Closed 2012) (013025000)
id
a6bf4577-8519-4fb9-9e8c-9d787f29a647 (old id 798619)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:08:46
date last changed
2022-04-22 19:53:20
@article{a6bf4577-8519-4fb9-9e8c-9d787f29a647,
  abstract     = {{In occupational therapy and occupational science, it is important to clarify the perspective from which the analysis of occupation is addressed. The purpose of this paper is to present a tentative structure for describing occupation, allowing for analysis in a lifelong panorama as well as for the immediate experience a person acquires from performing a single occupation. The concept of occupational value is introduced as a prerequisite for meaning, defining three different dimensions: concrete, symbolic, and self-reward value. A dynamic categorisation of single occupations is presented, considering each unique occupational performance viewed from a macro, meso, and a micro perspective, inspired by dynamic systems theory. It is proposed that all occupations are meaningful if they are integrated parts of a person's occupational continuity, and that it is the interaction between the mentioned three perspectives that determines their meaningfulness. With an explicit focus on value and meaning as perceived by the unique person, occupational therapists will become more skilled in designing meaningful occupational therapy interventions. This paper is a contribution to the development of occupational science as well as to occupational therapy, but the theoretical framework presented must be empirically tested in order to demonstrate its validity.}},
  author       = {{Persson, Dennis and Erlandsson, Lena-Karin and Eklund, Mona and Iwarsson, Susanne}},
  issn         = {{1651-2014}},
  keywords     = {{Dynamic; Systems; Meaning; Occupational; Categories; Science; Value}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{7--18}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy}},
  title        = {{Value Dimensions, Meaning, and Complexity in Human Occupation – A Tentative Structure for Analysis.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11038120119727}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/11038120119727}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}