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• Doctoral programs involve a series of comprehensive exams that are similar to, but more extensive than, the exams taken in a master’s program.
• Industrial/organizational psychology is a branch of psychology that applies the principles of psychology to the workplace.
• The purpose of I/O psychology is to enhance the dignity and performance of human beings, and the organizations they work in, by advancing the science and knowledge of human behavior.
• Principles of learning are used to develop training programs and incentive plans, principles of social psychology are used to form work groups and understand employee conflict, and principles of motivation and emotion are used to motivate and satisfy employees.
• The application of psychological principles is what best distinguishes I/O psychology from related fields typically taught in business colleges.
• The Hawthorne studies resulted in the increased use of behavior-modification techniques in organizations.
• By the mid-s, however, the courts became less strict, and a wider variety of selection instruments was developed and used.
• Examples of these selection instruments include cognitive ability tests, personality tests, biodata, and structured interviews.
• The Hawthorne studies also inspired HR professionals to develop fair selection techniques, leading to an increased need for I/O psychologists.
• The Hawthorne studies inspired psychologists to increase their focus on human relations in the workplace and to explore the effects of employee attitudes.
• During the s and s, I/O psychologists took a renewed interest in developing methods to select employees due to the courts' interpretation of the major civil rights acts of the early s.
• In the s, perhaps the greatest influence on I/O psychology is the rapid advances in technology.
• Other changes during the s and s that had significant effects on I/O psychology included massive organizational downsizing, greater concern for diversity and gender issues, an aging workforce, increased concern about the effects of stress, and the increased emphasis on such organizational development interventions as total quality management (TQM), reengineering, and employee empowerment.
• 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.
• I/O psychology relies extensively on research, quantitative methods, and testing techniques.
• I/O psychologists are trained to use empirical data and statistics rather than clinical judgment to make decisions.
• Human factors/ergonomics psychologists frequently work with engineers and other technical professionals to make the workplace safer and more efficient.
• The field of I/O psychology has a correspondingly short history, with various experts disagreeing about the precise beginning.
• After obtaining complete job descriptions, personnel psychologists construct performance-appraisal instruments to evaluate employee performance.
• Organizational psychologists usually serve in the role of a consultant, making recommendations on ways problem areas can be improved.
• Organizational psychologists often implement organization-wide programs designed to improve employee performance.
• Human factors/ergonomics psychologists in the area of human factors concentrate on workplace design, human-machine interaction, ergonomics, and physical fatigue and stress.
• Personnel psychologists also analyze jobs to obtain a complete picture of what each employee does, often assigning monetary values to each position.
• These tests are constantly evaluated to ensure that they are both fair and valid.
• Even though I/O psychologists make a good salary, the real benefits to the field involve the positive impacts on the lives of others.
• Personnel psychologists and HRM professionals involved in personnel psychology study and practice in areas such as analyzing jobs, recruiting applicants, selecting employees, determining salary levels, training employees, and evaluating employee performance.
• Organizational psychologists often conduct surveys of employee attitudes to get ideas about what employees believe are an organization’s strengths and weaknesses.
• The organizational approach in I/O psychology creates an organizational structure and culture that will motivate employees to perform well, give them with the necessary information to do their jobs, and provide working conditions that are safe and result in an enjoyable and satisfying work environment.
• The field of I/O psychology is believed to have started either in when Walter Dill Scott wrote The Theory of Advertising, in which psychology was first applied to business; in when Hugo Munsterberg wrote Psychology and Industrial Efficiency, which was first published in English in ; or in when Scott wrote the book Increasing Human Efficiency in Business.
• Personnel psychologists use existing tests or create new ones that can be used to select and promote employees.
• Psychologists in the area of organizational psychology are concerned with issues of leadership, job satisfaction, employee motivation, organizational communication, conflict management, organizational change, and group processes within an organization.
• I/O psychology can improve the quality of life at levels equal to, and often exceeding, those of fields such as counseling psychology and medicine.
• The industrial approach in I/O psychology 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.
• I/O psychologists are not clinical psychologists who happen to be in industry, and they do not conduct therapy for workers.
• The global economy will affect the role of I/O psychology as many manufacturing jobs are shifted to developing countries with lower wages, resulting in an increased emphasis on service jobs requiring human relations skills.
• As an increasing number of employees work in other countries (as expatriates) and as rates of immigration (both legal and illegal) increase, efforts must keep pace to understand various cultures, and training must be conducted so that employees and managers can successfully work not only in other countries, but at home with expatriates from other countries.
• I/O psychologists who work in the private sector work for a single company such as IBM, Microsoft, and FedEx, whereas consultants work with many companies.
• I/O psychologists who work at colleges and universities typically teach and conduct research, although some work as administrators (e.g., deans, provosts, vice presidents).
• Consulting firms range in size from one person organizations to large consulting firms employing hundreds of consultants.
• Employment of I/O Psychologists is typically divided among colleges and universities, consulting firms, the private sector, and the public sector.