Industrial/Organizational Psychology Worksheet

PSY 435 Industrial/Organizational Psychology

November 4, 2013

1.     Describe the evolution of the field of industrial/organizational psychology.

      Industrial and Organizational psychology (I/O psychology) is a fairly young science but its roots date back to the late 1800s early 1900s (Spector, 2012).  Several psychologists’ who studied under the tutelage of Wilhelm Wundt in Leipzig, Germany are the groundbreakers of I/O psychology; they are founders Hugo Munsterberg (author of Psychology and Industrial Efficiency, published in1913), James McKeen Cattell (one of the founders of the APA), and Walter Dill Scott (author of The Theory of Advertising, published in 1903), who focused primarily on job performance and organizational efficiency; however, they soon began to narrow their focus in different directions.  Scott to advertising psychology, Cattell to the importance of “individual differences,” and Munsterberg’s interest stayed with “the selection of employees and use of the new psychological tests” (Cattell, 2013, p. 377; Spector, 2012, p. 10). At a time when factory work and engineering thrived, I/O psychologists Frederick Wilson Taylor developed, what her referred to as a “Scientific Management… approach to handling production workers” (Spector, 2012, p. 10).  Expanding on Taylor’s scientific basis, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth refined the field of human factors to expand I/O psychology into designing technology.  

      The needs created during World War I prompted the use of I/O psychologists’ assessment tests (known as Army Alpha and Beta) that enabled the military to instill mass testing and placement for the million man Army of that day.  The largest foundation today that provides testing to the educational system (the Scholastic Aptitude Test) stems from the efficiency and success of these original mass testing’s (Spector, 2012).  Between World War I and World War II I/O psychology continued to focus on productivity demands and increasing employee problems; however, what they found surprised everyone.  Dubbed the “Hawthorne Effect;” researchers originally looking for motivational factors for job success and productivity discovered that social factors were, in fact, the key motivational factor they were seeking (Hawthorne Effect, 2008, para 1).

      I/O psychology has a rich and impactful roll in the selection, placement, training, and development of recruits and employees during and after World War II, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.  I/O psychology’s evolving focus includes improving organizations and work conditions for employees while maintaining diversity and eliminating discrimination.     

2.     Explain why industrial/organizational psychology should be considered a science.  Include an explanation of how descriptive and inferential statistics are used in I/O research.

Traditionally science claims empiricism is the only method to logical reasoning, thus there is a process that qualifies something as scientific.  I/O Psychology is no different; it also follows to empirical process and the scientific method: 

Step 1 – Identify the research question to be addressed 

Step 2 – Forming a testable hypothesis

Step 3 – Devise a study and collect data

Step 4 – Analyze data and draw conclusions

Step 5 – Report the results of the study

Upon reporting the data one could use either inferential or descriptive statistics to relay the information, thus taking large amounts of data and condensing it into summary analysis (Spector, 2012).  For example, in a national company offering a new vacation package 100 employees were to complete a survey about the new package.  Of those employees in the survey 43 said that the new package increased their job satisfaction, 41 indicated it make no difference, while16 stating that they were not happy with the new package.  If reporting this data using descriptive statistics, one may state that 43% of the 100 employees reported increased job satisfaction with the new vacation package.  However, an inferential statement draws conclusions that generalize the information studied. In the example of the new vacation package, there is only a 2% increase over the previous package based on the sample used; however, if there is not a statistical significance in the findings additional research may be helpful to make a positive conclusion.

3.     Discuss the influence industrial/organization psychology has had on organizations. Provide examples.

      One of the largest organizations to have benefited from I/O psychology is the United States Government, even though only a small percentage of I/O psychologists work in this setting.  The majority of I/O psychologists work in academic settings (e.g., college or university professors) teaching, doing research, writing, publishing articles, and continuing to expand the field.  However, through the governments use of the “psychological tests, [I/O psychology has been able] to place [military] recruits in appropriate jobs” since the inception of World War I and continuing through to date (Spector, 2012, p. 3).  Furthermore, I/O psychology has “develop[ed] procedures to reduce assaults by employees of the U.S. Postal Service” (Spector, 2012, p. 3).  In addition to the government sector I/O psychology has a presence in the private sector, helping companies manage their human resources departments, which are mainly responsible for personnel recruitment, selection, and placement but can also include such tasks as employee health benefits, job performance evaluations, training, motivation, and more (SIOP, 2013).  According to Spector (2012) I/O psychologists also helped “General Electric develop systems to provide job performance feedback to employees; [and] AT&T [to] develop assessment centers to choose the best managers” (p. 3).

Resource

Hawthorne effect. (2008, April 2). New World Encyclopedia, . Retrieved 15:53, November 2, 2013 from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Hawthorne_effect&oldid=680176.

James McKeen Cattell. (2004). In Encyclopedia of World Biography (2nd ed., Vol. 3, pp. 376-377). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http%3A%2F%2Fgo.galegroup.com%2Fps%2Fi.do%3Fid%3DGALE%257CCX3404701193%26v%3D2.1%26u%3Duphoenix%26it%3Dr%26p%3DGVRL%26sw%3Dw%26asid%3D61edc0f0bae69d4f2ee07db70070463e

SIOP. (2013). Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.siop.org/history/crsppp.aspx

Spector, P. E. (2012). Industrial and organizational psychology: Research and practice (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.