I/O Psychology

Blum & Naylor (1968) define it as "simply the application or extension of psychological facts and principles to the problems concerning human beings operating within the context of business and industry.

Industrial psychology often focuses on worker interaction and satisfaction. Employees who work together well and are happy in their jobs can significantly strengthen a business or organization.

I/O Psychology
Acc. To Tiffin and Mc Cormick (1971), Industrial Psychology is concerned with the study of human behavior in those aspects of life that are related to production, distribution and use of goods and services of our civilization. I/O Psychology is naturally a branch of practical or applied psychology because it is fundamentally a study evolved for the improvement of human relations in industrial sphere.

SPECIFIC AREAS OF CONCERN

Recruiting and selecting employees for jobs Training employees Assessing performance Defining and analyzing jobs Determining people feel about work Determining why people act as they do at work Effects work has on people Effects people have on one another How organizations are structured and function Designing work Designing tools and equipment Employee Health and Safety

The science and practice of I/O Psychology

Primary work areas for I/O work: Selection Develop, validate, and administer psychological tests to assess (measure) skills, abilities and interests as aids in selection and placement and promotion. Training Analyze: First thing I/O dude does, is try to understand nature of job--knowledge & task requirements Conduct training programs, and evaluate the effectiveness of training. Organizational Development Analyze organizations culture/climate, develop interventions -> increase in efficiency. E.g. user interface fucking productivity

More functions of the I/O Psychologist

Performance Appraisal Develop rating scales, and other measures of individual/organizational performance to improve employee performance. Quality of Work-life Previously, human workers were not viewed as human Develop surveys that assess employees satisfaction with their jobs and commitment to the organization. Satisfaction: one of most common surveys.

Nature/ Essentials of Psychology

As a Science:- A study is called scientific not because the subject matter is of a particular kind but because it makes of the scientific method. Factual:- Science is the study of facts; it searches for facts. Its subject matter is continued by facts, not ideals. Verdical:- Scientific laws have a validity which can be put to test any time. Whenever they are tested, they are proved correct.

Nature/ Essentials of Psychology

Universal- Scientific Principles are universal for they are found to be true everywhere if their basic conditions are fulfilled. The I/O psychology laws produce the same results everywhere under identical conditions. Cause and Effect relationship Science aims at the discovery of cause and effect relations between the various facts of the subject including the laws of behaviors and explains the causal relations existing between them. Prediction:- Science can make predictions about the future on the strength of the universal laws enunciated by it, because these laws are based on cause-and-effect relationships, between facts-relationships, which are always true.

SCOPE OF I/O PSYCHOLOGY

1. Is concerned with the physical aspect of the environment of work, for example, the effect of light and temperature on work and safety. It is primary a study of the principles and behavior of human relationships. It is a study of the causes that lead to indifference and disinterest and the motives and attitudes that influence zeal and high morale. It is a study of the methods by which neurotic people can be brought back to a level of normal mental health. It is a study of the factors that create cooperation between laborers and the management, a study of the relations between the supervisor and his subordinates and of industrial conflicts.

2. 3.

4.

5.

SCOPE
Economic, social and psychological aspects of industrycommunal life of worker, human beh. In the industrial env. Study of the physical aspects of works environment- the worker is greatly influenced by the conditions under which he works. These conditions include clean air, water, arrangement for necessary rest, less noise, clean atmosphere. Principles of human relationships-human being the importance of the psychological element in the running of the factory cannot be denied. The efficiency of the man will depend very much upon the nature of his relations with the management. Study of aptitudes and motives- Hawthrone Works Western Electric Company into the effect of attitudes of workers upon production.

Scope
Study of principles of mental health- attitude of other people towards him profoundly influences the mental health of worker.

Study of human relation- relationship between supervisor or the manager , the manner in which he behaves towards the worker has a direct influence upon the efficiency, attitudes and motives of the worker.

The 3 Founding Fathers

1. Walter Dill Scott (American Psychologist) 2. Hugo Munsterberg (German) 3. Frederick Taylor (American Engineer)

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Early History of I/O Psychology

1879, William Wundt established the first lab for studying psychology. 1897, Bryan & Harter published, Studies of the physiology and psychology of the telegraphic language. 1903, Walter D. Scott wrote, The Theory of Advertising.
Scott pioneered (and popularized) the application of psychology to advertising and employee selection and placement.

Early History of I/O Psychology

1905, Alfred Binet published the first intelligence test. 1911, Frederick Taylor wrote Scientific Management.
Time and motion studies.

1913, Hugo Munsterberg wrote Industrial Efficiency.

Munsterbergs most famous study examined the skills required to safely operate a trolley car.

Early History of I/O Psychology

1917, Frank & Lillian Gilbreth wrote Applied Motion Study. 1917, Journal of Applied Psychology published its first volume.
Hall, Baird, & Geissler suggested the applied psychology could provide a direct method for decreasing the number of cases where a square peg is condemned to a life of fruitless endeavor to fit itself comfortably into a round hole.

Early History of I/O Psychology

1918, World War I and I/O psychologists contribute to Americas war effort.
Robert Yerkes developed cognitive ability tests for the Army, the Alpha and Beta. Walter D. Scott developed systems for the placement of personnel and performance management.

1921, First PhD in I/O psychology awarded.

1921, James Cattell establishes the Psychological Corporation.

Early History of I/O Psychology

1924, Elton Mayo and colleagues began research at the Hawthorne works of the Western Electric Co. on how environmental conditions (e.g.., lighting) affected employee performance.
The Hawthorne Effect Human relations movement

1932, Morris Viteles writes first I/O psychology textbook.

Early History of I/O Psychology

1941, World War II and I/O psychologists do their part again.
Army General Classification Test U.S. Office of Strategic Service use situation stress tests to assess candidates for military intelligence placement.

1945, Society for Industrial and Business Psychology established as Division 14 of APA.
Now its SIOP (see www.siop.org)

Early History of I/O Psychology

1948, Personnel Psychology published its first volume. 1951, The Dearborn Conference Group met for the first time.

1954, Technical Recommendations of Psychological Tests and Diagnostic Techniques published. 1955, Ethical Principles of Psychologists published.

Early History of I/O Psychology

1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act forbade discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, or national origin.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) created to oversee compliance to Title VII. Increased accountability for I/O psychologists to implement valid and unbiased testing processes.

Early History of I/O Psychology

1964, The Industrial/Organizational Psychologist (TIP) publishes its first volume. 1971, In Griggs v. Duke Power Co. the Supreme Court establishes that employee selection devices must be job related. 1978, Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures is released.
Reinforces the importance of job analysis.

Early History of I/O Psychology

1976, Handbook for I/O Psychology published.
1990-94 revised Handbook volumes published.

1986, SIOP holds its first annual national conference. 1986, First U.S. Supreme Court ruling on sexual harassment

Basic Areas of Modern Psychology

1. Biological Psychology: study the ways in which the nervous system and other organs provide the basis for behavior and mental processes. They also study nonhuman animal behavior, both to compare it with human behavior and to gain a better understanding of other species. 2. Sensation and Perception: concerned with how the sense organs operate and how to interpret incoming sensory information. 3. Learning and Memory: the ways in which we learn and remember new information and new skills. 4. Cognition: study thinking, perceiving, planning, imagining, creating, dreaming, speaking, listening, and problem solving.

Basic Areas of Modern Psychology

5. Developmental Psychology: concerned with changes that take place in people during their life span, as we grow from birth through old age. 6. Motivation and Emotion: study the needs and states that activate and guide behavior, such as hunger, sex, and the need for achievement, and the need to have relationships with others. 7. Personality: focuses on the relatively consistent ways of behaving that characterize our individual personalities. 8. Social Psychology: study the influence of other people on our behavior; interpersonal attraction and intimate relationships; and attitudes and prejudice toward others.

Applied Areas of Modern Psychology

1. Clinical Psychology: try to understand and treat serious emotional and behavioral problems. 2. Counseling Psychology: help people with personal or school problems and with career choices. 3. Educational Psychology: concerned with the ways children learn in the classroom and with the construction of psychological/educational tests. 3. School Psychology: consult with teachers about children who are experiencing learning or behavioral problems and test children to see whether they could benefit from special educational programs.

Applied Areas of Modern Psychology

4. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: focuses on ways to match employees to jobs, to train and motivate workers, and to promote job satisfaction and good relationships among workers. 5. Health Psychology: focus on the ways in which stress and other factors influence our health. They seek to prevent health problems such as heart disease by teaching people to relax, exercise, control their diets, and stop high-risk behaviors, such as smoking.