In a study of some cognitive determinants of job satisfaction, attention was focused on the idiosyncratic way a teacher responds to being a teacher. It was hypothesized that subjective variables may have as much to do with improving individual morale as the traditional exhortative or manipulative approach. In a study of 45 teachers who described elements of work they found satisfying, rewarding, or stimulating as opposed to those they found dull, bland, or tedious, the teachers' stated quality of work life clearly favored those who were more resourceful in describing teaching and showed higher cognitive complexity. Also favored were those teachers who were more professionally literate and showed a higher level of cognitive awareness. (CB)