Chapter 1: Introduction to I/O Psychology Flashcards
What is Industrial/Organizational Psychology (I/O Psychology)?
It is a branch of psychology that applies the principles of psychology to the workplace.
Psychology of Learning
Training programs and incentives & motivation and emotion.
Social Psychology
Work groups and understanding employee conflicts.
What best distinguishes I/O Psychology from related fields typically taught in business colleges?
The application of psychological principles.
Main difference between I/O Psychology and business fields
I/O Psychology examines factors that affect the people in an organization as opposed to the broader aspects of running an organization such as marketing channels, transportation networks, and cost accounting.
Industrial Approach
Focuses on determining the competencies needed to perform a job, staffing the organization with employees who have those competencies, and increasing those competencies through training.
Organizational approach
Creates an organizational structure and culture that will motivate employees to perform well, give them the necessary information to do their jobs, and provide working conditions that are safe and result in an enjoyable and satisfying work/life environment.
Personnel Psychology
The field of study that concentrates on the selection and evaluation of employees.
(Analyzing jobs, recruiting applicants, selecting employees, determining salary levels, training employees, and evaluating employee performance)
Organizational Psychology
The field of study that investigates the behavior of employees within the context of an organization.
(Issues of leadership, job satisfaction, employee motivation, organizational communication, conflict management, organizational change, and group processes)
Human Factors / Ergonomics
The field of study concentrating on the interaction between humans and machines.
(Workplace design, human-machine interaction, ergonomics, and physical fatigue and stress)
In 1903, Walter Dill Scott published what book?
The Theory of Advertising.
In 1911, Walter Dill Scott published what book?
Increasing Human Efficiency in Business.
In 1913, Hugo Münsterberg published what book?
Psychology and Industrial Efficiency.
Who developed perceptual and motor tests for potential pilots?
John Watson.
Who was responsible for increasing the efficiency with which cargo ships were built, repaired, and loaded?
Henry Gantt.
Who created a 163-item knowledge test that was administered to over 900 applicants for employee selection?
Thomas A. Edison.
(Note: He is not a psychologist)
The scientists who improved productivity and reduced fatigue by studying the motions used by workers were?
Frank Gilbreth & Lillian Moller Gilbreth.
In the 1930s, what were these famous studies that caused psychologists to become more involved in the quality of the work environment and the attitude of employees?
Hawthorne studies.
(These studies investigated issues such as the effects of lighting levels, work schedules, wages, temperature, and rest breaks on employee performance)
What is it called when employees change their behavior due solely to the fact that they are receiving attention or are being observed?
Hawthorne effect.
1960s
Passage of several major pieces of civil rights legislation focusing on the attention of HR professionals on developing fair selection techniques.
1960s (2)
Characterized by the use of sensitivity training and T-groups (laboratory training groups) for managers
1970s
Strides in the understanding of many organizational psychology issues that involved employee satisfaction and motivation.
2000s
Rapid advances in technology
Four (4) major changes to I/O Psychology in the 1980s and 1990s
- Increased use of fairly sophisticated statistical techniques and methods of analysis.
- A new interest in the application of cognitive psychology to industry.
- Increased interest in the effects of work on family life and leisure activities.
- I/O Psychologists took a renewed interest in developing methods to select employees.
