Intro. to I/O Psychology Flashcards
What is I/O Psychology?
broad field of psychology that studies human behavior in work settings, workplace
What do I/O psychologists study?
- to better understand work related psychology,
- basic personnel functions within organizations,
- psychological processes underlying work behavior and group processes in the workplace
What are the two objectives of I/O psychology?
- To conduct research in an effort to increase our knowledge and understanding of human work behavior; 2. To apply that knowledge to improve both the work behavior and environment, and the psychological conditions of workers
How did the field of I/O psychology first begin?
when a few psychologist dabbled in the study of work behavior
How did Frederick W. Taylor advance the field of I/O psychology?
by believing the scientific principles could be applied to the study of work behavior to help increase worker efficiency and productivity
What are “time-and-motion studies” and how were they used to revolutionize industries?
breaking down work tasks into simple component movements and the movements timed to develop a more efficient method for performing the tasks; they were used to double, triple, and even quadruple laborer output.
How did Robert Yerkes advance the field of I/O psychology?
set the stage for future testing efforts, due to employee testing and selection being an important area in I/O Psychology today
What did Elton Mayo discover in his experiments at the Western Electric Company in Hawthorne, IL?
in his studies of work productivity with lvl of lighting, no matter what lvl the lighting (high or low) productivity increased, as well as worker output. with breaks as well (short/ long, fewer/ more)
What was really causing the increase in productivity he saw during the Hawthorne studies (i.e., the Hawthorne effect)?
was due to the workers knowing that they were being observed and feared for their job
What are the core tenets of the “human relations movement”?
the importance of social factors and “worker morale” in influencing work productivity.
How was the field of I/O psychology affected by the civil rights movement?
with the passing of the Civil Right Act of 1964, Title VII, banning discrimination in employment. in order to establish and implement fair employment standards
What are issues that current I/O psychologists are conducting research on?
- The changing nature of work;
- Expanding focus on human resources;
- Increasing diversity and globalization of the workforce
- Increasing importance in policy and practice in the field
