In the face of extreme and enduring stressors, a self-protection coping mode can be entered to conserve resources (Conservation of Resources (COR) theory principle 4). Self-protection coping is underexplored in COR theory yet may offer insights about how people deal with the significant challenges posed by work today. We investigate this using a large-group collaborative auto-ethnography (CAE) with 15 academic workers during a period when resources were severely stretched or exhausted (the first four months of the Covid-19 lockdown). We identify three defensive coping strategies, applied in self-protection mode, that are akin to Karen Horney's neurotic trends of ‘moving away from’, ‘moving against’ and ‘moving towards’ others. We also identify that, even when in self-protection mode, workers engage in resource (re)investment activities, in an attempt to (re)gain control of, and (re)build resources. These multiple self-protection coping strategies are applied in a seemingly haphazard and interchangeable way but appear to serve an adaptive function for trying out how best to conserve resources, defend the self, and extend resources towards recovery. Our findings emphasize the need for organizations and society to provide support and resources at times of adversity, to help people rebuild their work, their lives and their well-being.

中文翻译：

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远离、接近和对抗他人：一种以自我保护模式保卫和建设资源的自适应多策略方法


面对极端且持久的压力源，可以进入自我保护的应对模式，以节约资源（资源节约（COR）理论原则4）。自我保护应对在 COR 理论中尚未得到充分探讨，但可能提供有关人们如何应对当今工作带来的重大挑战的见解。在资源严重紧张或耗尽的时期（Covid-19 封锁的前四个月），我们使用大型群体协作自动民族志 (CAE) 与 15 名学术工作者对此进行了调查。我们确定了三种防御性应对策略，应用于自我保护模式，类似于凯伦·霍妮的“远离”、“反对”和“走向”他人的神经质倾向。我们还发现，即使处于自我保护模式，工人也会参与资源（再）投资活动，试图（重新）获得对资源的控制和（重新）建设资源。这些多重自我保护应对策略的应用方式看似随意且可互换，但似乎具有适应性功能，可以尝试如何最好地节约资源、保护自我并扩展资源以实现康复。我们的研究结果强调，组织和社会需要在逆境时提供支持和资源，帮助人们重建工作、生活和福祉。