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job evaluation

analysis and comparison of jobs for the purpose of determining the pay structure within an organization. Methods used in job evaluation include (a) ranking jobs on the basis of a subjective estimation of their relative overall value to the company (see ranking method); (b) assigning jobs to certain predefined classifications on the basis of job description (see classification method); (c) comparing jobs to certain identified benchmark jobs in terms of the compensable job factors entailed; (d) assigning point values to jobs according to a series of defined criteria such as education, experience, and the initiative or effort needed (see point method); and (e) ranking jobs according to a statistical analysis of job content, as revealed by employees’ answers to a standard questionnaire (see job-component method).

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Psychology term of the day

March 18th 2025

serotonin

serotonin

n. a common monoamine neurotransmitter in the brain, particularly the raphe nucleus, and in other parts of the central nervous system; it also is found in the gastrointestinal tract, in smooth muscles of the cardiovascular and bronchial systems, and in blood platelets. It is synthesized from the dietary amino acid L-tryptophan (see tryptophan hydroxylase), and in the pineal gland it is converted to melatonin. It is primarily degraded by monoamine oxidase, which yields its principal metabolic product, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). Serotonin has roles in emotional processing, mood, appetite, sexual desire and performance, sleep, pain processing, hallucinations, and reflex regulation. For example, levels of serotonin correlate negatively with aggression, and release of serotonin may promote sleep. It is implicated in many psychological conditions, including depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, aggression, and psychosis; many common psychotropic drugs affect neurotransmission mediated by serotonin. Also called 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT).