INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Dr. R.L. NARAYANA SIMHA

Acc. To American Psychological Association (API), The specialty of industrial-organizational psychology (also called I/O psychology) is characterized by the scientific study of human behavior in organizations and the work place. The specialty focuses on deriving principles of individual, group and organizational behavior and applying this knowledge to the solution of problems at work.

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INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE

1.Specialized Knowledge:-Specialized knowledge and training in the

science of behavior in the workplace requires in-depth knowledge of organizational development, attitudes, career development, decision theory, human performance and human factors, consumer behavior, small group theory and process, criterion theory and development, job and task analysis and individual assessment. In addition, the specialty of industrial-organizational psychology requires knowledge of ethical considerations as well as statutory, administrative, and case law and executive orders as related to activities in the workplace

2.Problems Addressed:-The specialty of Industrial /

Organizational Psychology addresses issues of recruitment, selection and placement, training and development, performance measurement, workplace motivation and reward systems, quality of work life, structure of work and human factors, organizational development and consumer behavior.

3. Skills and Procedures Utilized:-I/O Psychologists are scientist-practitioners who

have expertise in the design, execution and interpretation of research in psychology and who apply their findings to help address human and organizational problems in the context of organized work. I/O psychologists: Identify training and development needs; Design and optimize job and work and quality of

work life; Formulate and implement training programs and

evaluate their effectiveness; Coach employees; Develop criteria to evaluate performance of

individuals and organizations; Assess consumer preferences, customer

satisfaction and market strategies.

1. INTROSPECTION2. OBSERVATION [PARTICIPATIVE &

NON-PARTICIPATIVE]3. INTERVIEW4. CASE STUDY5. SURVEY METHOD6. CLINICAL METHOD7. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

METHODS OF UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOUR

Acc. Mc. Collom1. PERSONAL SELECTION:- Selection of employees,

executives for various jobs and developing the instruments of personal selection by conducting relevant research.

2. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT:- Developing the methods of the appraisal of the performance of the employees, executives etc. Helping employees for better adjustment themselves or their environment.

3. HUMAN ENGINEERING:- Setting and suggesting changing innovations in the designs of machines, equipment and operations, with a view to achieving greater ease in operation, with least possible expenditure of human energy.

SCOPE OF I/O PSYCHOLOGY

4. PRODUCTIVITY STUDY:- Activities concerned with lessening worker fatigue improving environment conditions such as lighting, ventilation, working arrangements etc. with a view in maximizing efficiency.

5. MANAGEMENT:- Activities involving development of management skills and other activities.

6. ACCIDENT PREVENTION & SAFETY MEASURES:-

7. LABOUR RELATIONS:- 8. CONSUMER:-

It is exceedingly difficulty to apply a date to the founding of any discipline. However, industrial psychology may have gotten its start on December 20, 1901 by Dr. Walter Dill Scott. But the honor first industrial psychologist been awarded to Hugo Munsterberg.

During World War 1 (1914-18)psychologists were quite active in the war effort, developing group tests for army recruits and aiding in the development of procedures for the selection 0f officer personal.

HISTORICAL PERSPICTIVE

During the post-World War 1 years industry first began to show an interest in the discipline of industrial psychology. Without much question World War 2 (1939-45)was a major factor in the growth of psychology in industry. Although the American Association for Applied Psychology was formed in 1937 as the official organization of industrial psychology (it later became Division 14 of the APA).

Notable development in applied psychology since World War 2 was the establishment of other separate division of the APA devoted to various aspects of the field: 1. The division of Military Psychology

(Division 19).2. The Society of Engineering Psychologists,

a division of APA (Division 21).3. The Division of Consumer Behaviour

(Division 23). 4. While the percentage of joint

membership in these divisions and division 14 is high.

UNIT-2PERSONAL SELECTION

AND EVALUATION

METHODS OF PERSONAL SELECTION

Scientists refer to the ways in which people differ from one another as individual differences, i.e. temperament, physical skill, mental ability and behaviour, such unique qualities can have major influences on our thinking and behavior as well as our lives and careers. Because such factors play a role in many aspects of behavior in work settings, they have long been of interest to experts in the field of organizational behavior. To know those individual differences and select suitable candidate, some scientific personal selection methods are there. Those are:1. INTERVIEW2. PERSONAL DATA3. SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT JOB

CANDIDATES.

INTERVIEW

The interview is a conversation with a purpose. There are three purposes that may be served-1. Obtaining information2. Giving information3. Motivation

The employment interview should serve each of these three purposes. It should provide an appraisal of personality by obtaining relevant information about the prospective employee’s background, his training, work history, education and interests.

Obtaining information has been the primary objective of the interview rather than giving information or motivating.

DEFINITION

Interview used in industry differ according to their objectives. Some are

1. SELECTION OR PLACEMENT INTERVIEWS:- To evaluate the candidate for purpose of hiring, promotion or transfer.

2. ATTITUDE INTERVIEWS:- To obtain information from the interviewee concerning his attitudes about his job, the company etc.

3. COUNSELING INTERVIEWS:- To help the employee with any particular personal or on-the-job problem which might be harmful to his performance both on and off the job.

4. ASSESSMENT OR STRESS INTERVIEWS:- To evaluate the interviewee for his ability to perform under a particular set of difficult circumstances. The interviewer deliberatively provokes stressful situations with the hope of measuring a person’s ability to perform under such conditions. [such interviews were first popularized by the OFFICE OF STRATIGIC SERVICES (OSS) in World War 2)

1. STRUCTURED2. NON-STRUCTURE

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

To evaluate the candidate for purpose of hiring, promotion or transfer.

LENGTH OF THE SELECTION INTERVIEWThere is no standard time limit

associated with interviews for selection purposes. The length varies depending on the type of position, number of applicants, importance attached to the interview as a selection device and personality of the interviewer.

THE SELECTION INTERVIEW

A MODEL OF THE SELECTION INTERVIEW:-

The basic purpose of the interviewer in any assessment interview situation is twofold: 1. To gather as much data as one can

which are relevant to the decision2. To evaluate the data available and

decide to select or reject the applicant.

A MODEL OF THE SELECTION INTERVIEW PROCESS

Data classified into two categories depending upon the source of the information. 1. In the first category are data from sources not

directly tied to the interview situation itself. These auxiliary sources include letters of recommendation, application blanks, psychological tests etc.

2. The second major category of data is information obtained in the face-to-face situation which is unique to the interview itself. Examples might be data about the dress and mannerisms of the applicant, his speech, his way of handling himself in a social situation etc.

DATA SOURCES IN THE INTERVIEW

Interview is a verbal and visual interaction between two individuals. Thus many of the cues available to the interviewer will be based upon the language and appearance of the interviewee.

It is a conversation with a purpose. The task of the interviewer is to use this conversational tool to elicit as much relevant information as possible (and generally within specified time span).

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SELECTION INTERVIEW

REACTIONS OF INTERVIEWER:- 1. AGGREMENT:- The interviewer would

say “you’re right”, “I agree”, “That’s so”, or some similar. Incase where he did not want to interrupt, he would nod his head and smiled.

2. PARAPHRASING:- The interviewer would repeat back to the subject the opinion statement just made.

3. SILENCE:- The interviewer refrained from any comment or action at all.

4. DISAGREEMENT:- The interviewer by statement or action would show disagreement with every statement of opinion.

1. Both interviewers could examine each candidate together, working as a team and arriving at a joint decision as to hire or not.

2. Each interviewer could examine each candidate separately and then only hire those whom both interviewers agreed should be hired(multiple cutoff approach)

FORMAT OF THE SELECTION INTERVIEW

Ulrich and Trumbo in their reviews subdivided all validity studies into three classifications depending upon the criterion used. There were-1. Predictions of proficiency ratings2. Predictions of success in training3. Predictions of psychiatric rating of

discharge

INTERVIEW VALIDITY

The interviewer can’t judge from a man’s face such personality and character traits honesty. There is no evidence to support popular notions that personality and character traits agree with the contour of the face, the height of the forehead, the closeness of the eyes and the like.HALO:- The interviewer is apt to like one or more traits, not necessarily connect to job success, and transfer his favorable impression to his final evaluation of the applicant.

LIMITATIONS

Application Blanks/Personal Data generally have two functions.1. They provide pertinent information about the

employee which the company will need if the individual is hired. Ex, name, age, sex, number of dependent etc.

2. Application blanks are designed to gather information about job applicants which the personal officer feels are pertinent to the hiring process.

In a sense an application blank is a highly structured interview in which the questions have been standardized and determined in advance.

PERSONAL DATA (OR) APPLICATION BLANK

1. Generally the information depends upon the personal history.

2. It includes items dealing with the previous work and life history of the applicant.

3. In many instances, an application blank from some other company is used as a guide.

4. What items need to be included on an application blank is certainly important.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONAL DATA

As with other types of predictors, one must always be concerned with the stability of a predictive relationship over time. How likely is it that scoring keys, developed at one point in time, are going to successfully predict at some later time period.

VALIDITY OF APPLICATION BLANK

SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT

JOB CANDIDATESPERSONALITY ASSESMENT

SUBJECTIVE METHODS

OBSERVATION

INTERVIEW

CASE STUDY

OBJECTIVE METHODS

RATING SCALE

INVENTORY or QUESTIONNAIR

E

SITUATION TESTS

PROJECTIVE METHODS

ASSOCIATION

CONSTRUCTION

COMPLETION ORDARING

EXPRESSION

1. OBSERVATION:- Observation is a popular method to study the behaviour pattern of an individual in actual life situation. What personality traits or characteristics the observer needs to know are first decided by him and then he observes relevant activities of the subject in real life situation. It can be done in two ways.

i) Non participative observation ii) Participative observation

SUBJECTIVE METHODS

2. INTERVIEW:- Interview is a technique of getting information directly from the subject about his personality in face-to-face contacts. It gives an opportunity for mutual exchange of ideas information between the subject and the psychologists.

i) Free interviewii) Standardized interview3. CASE STUDY:- A research method involving a detailed investigation of a single individual or a single organized group.

1. RATING SCALE:- Rating scale is used to know from others where an individual stands in terms of certain personality traits

2. INVENTORY OR QUESTIONNARE:- In general the word questionnaire refers to a device for securing answers to questions by using a form which the respondent fills in himself.

Personality inventory is specially designed to seek answers about the person and his personalityE.g. Do you enjoy being alone? Yes/No Do you enjoy seeing others success? Yes/No

OBJECTIVE METHODS

MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY

3. SITUATIONAL TESTS:- Here the situation is artificially created in which an individual is expected to perform acts related to the personality traits under testing. E.g. to test the honesty of an individual, some situations can be created and his reaction can be evaluated in terms of honesty or dishonesty. E.g. psychodrama

These techniques are based on the phenomenon of projection. In this techniques relatively indefinite and unstructured stimuli(like vague pictures, ink blots, incomplete sentence etc.) are provided to the subject and he is asked to structured them in any way he likes.

In doing so he unconsciously projects his own desires, hopes, fears, repressed wishes etc. and thus not only reveals his inner or private world but gives a proper clue to estimate his total personality.

3. PROJECTIVE METHODS

1. ASSOCIATION TEST:- In this technique, a list of stimulus words is read out, the subject responding to each word quickly .

2. CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE:- In this technique, the subject has to respond(write a story etc.) for given stimulus(abstract paintings etc.).

3. COMPLECTION TECHNIQUE:- These tests include a list of incomplete open-ended sentence or picture, which require completion by the subject.

E.g. My hope is…… I fee proud when…….., My hero is……………..

4. ORDERING:- The subject has to arrange some words or things in order.

5. EXPRESSION:- The subject has to express his response(feelings) for his given stimulus (pictures) in a oral or written form.

Developed by Murray and Morgan.It consists of 30 pictures which

portray human beings in a variety of actual life situation. 10 for male, 10 for female and 10 for both.

THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST

This technique has been developed by Swiss psychologist, who was the son of an art teacher. Material of the test consists of 10 cards with ink blots, those are completely unstructured.

RORSCHAK INK BLOT TEST

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF

PERSONAL TESTING

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS AND THERE USES

Tests were used in industry prior to 1910 by Hugo Munstenberg in connection with various problems in his research for the Boston Elevated Railway Company.

ACHIEVEMENT AND APTITUDE TESTS:- The former is supposedly a measure of a person’s potential in a given area, while the latter is a current skill or ability at the moment of testing. Thus, many tests one can (1) measure the amount of present skill, and (2) use the present score to predict future performance.

TYPES OF TESTS

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS

VERBAL/LANGUAGETESTS

NON-VERBAL/PERFORMANCE

GROUP TESTS INDIVIDUAL TESTS GROUP TESTS INDIVIDUAL TESTS

TYPES OF PSYCHOLOGICALTESTS

CLASSIFICATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS

As for as the administrative point of view is concerned the tests can be classified into two broad categories namely-i) INDIVIDUAL TESTS:- In which only one

individual is tested at a time.ii) GROUP TESTS:- In which a group of

individuals is tested at a time.

Another way of classifying the intelligence tests is based on the form of the test. Accordingly there are two types of tests-i) VERBAL OR LANGUAGE TESTS:- These tests make use or language. Here the instructions are given in words(either in written or oral form of both). Individuals are required to use language as well as paper and pencil for giving the responses. The test content of these tests is loaded with verbal material.

ii) NON-VERBAL OR NON-LANGUAGE TESTS:-These tests involve such activities in which the use of language is not necessary. The use or language is eliminated from test content and response except in giving directions.

The typical example of such non-verbal tests are Performance Tests.

1. INDIVIDUAL VERBAL TESTS:-The test involving the use of

language and administrated to an individual at a time belong to this category.e.g. Stanford Binet Scale

2. INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE TESTS:-

The complete non-verbal or non-language tests of intelligence for testing an individual at a time come into this classification. In these tests the items which require responses in terms of motor activities are included. e.g. i) Block building or cube construction

ii) To fit the block in the holesiii) Tracing a mazeiV) Picture arrangement or

picture completion

3. GROUP VERBAL INTELLIGENCE TESTS:-The tests, which necessitate the use of language and are applied to a group of individuals at a time, come under this category.

E.g. Army Alpha test(developed in world war).

4. THE GROUP NON-VERBAL INTELLIGENCE TESTS:- These tests do not necessitate the use of language and are applicable to a group of individuals at a given time.The performance tests require the manipulation of concrete objects or materials supplied in the test by the subject. In this tests responses are purely motor and material does not contain words or numerical figures. It contains pictures, diagrams and geometrical figures etc. printed in a booklet. E.g. Army Beta Test

When test performance is based primarily upon the speed with which one works, the test is referred to as a speed test. The other extreme would be a test where the items were difficult and the person was given as much time as necessary to complete the items.

SPEED AND POWER TESTS

The test is an objective and standardized behaviour sample which lends itself well to statistical evaluation.

Generally it is easier to determine the value of a test than it is to evaluate other selection devise such as interviews, letters of recommendation, etc.

The great advantage in testing is that it can improve the selection process.

Tests of interest and personality may be more susceptible to either unconscious or deliberate bias on the part of the applicant under certain conditions.

USES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS

HUMAN ABILITIES AND THEIR MEASUREMENT

1. MENTAL ABILITY TESTS/INTELLIGENCE TESTS

2. MECHANICAL APTITUDE TESTS3. TEST OF SENSORY ABILITY4. TESTS OF MOTOR ABILITY5. INTEREST INVENTORIES6. PERSONALITY INVENTORIES

HUMAN ABILITIES AND THEIR TESTS

“Intelligence consists of an individual’s those mental or cognitive abilities which help him in solving his actual life-problems and leading a happy and well-contented life”.

MENTAL ABILITY/INTELLIGENCE TESTS

GUILFORD MODEL OF INTELLECT:- J,B. Guilford & his associates come to the conclusion that any mental process or intellectual activity of the human being can be described in terms of three basic determinations or parameters known as ‘operations’, ‘content’ & ‘product’. i. OPERATIONS:- The act of thinking or way of

processing the information.ii. CONTENTS:- The terms in which we think or

the type of information involved.iii. PRODUCTS:- The idea we come up with, i.e.

the fruits of thinking Each of these parameters subdivided into some specific factors or elements. As a result, operations subdivided into 5 specific factors, contents into 4 and operations into 6 thus results into the 5 * 4 * 6 = 120.

GUILFORD MODEL OF INTELLICT

1. CONTENTS:- (the type of information involved)

FIGURAL – The properties of stimuli we can experience through visual or auditory senses. Ex, colour, size, shape , voice, sound, etc.

SYMBOLOIC – numbers, letters, symbols, designs etc.

SEMANTIC –The meaning of words and ideas.

BEHAVIOURAL – The actions and expressions of people.

2. OPERATIONS:- (The way of processing) COGNITION:- Recognizing and

discovering MEMORY:- Retaining and recalling the

contents of thought DIVERGENT PRODUCTION:- Producing a

variety of ideas or solutions to a problem.

CONVERGENT THINKING:- Producing a single best solution to a problem.

EVALUATION:- Decision making capacity. Good or bad, positive or negative etc.

3.PRODUCTS:- (the result obtained through operations)

i. UNITS:- Individual pieces of information limited in size, e.g. a single number, letter or word.

ii. CLASSES:- Some common characteristics involving a higher order concept (e.g. men + women = people)

iii. RELATIONS:- A connection between concepts.iv. SYSTEMS:- An ordering or classification of

relations.v. TRANSFORMATION:- Altering or restructuring

intellectual contents.vi. IMPLICATIONS:- Making inferences from

separate pices of information.

INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT (I.Q.)

This term was initiated by German psychologist William Stern and put into wide practice by Terman.

It appeared to Stern that if a child was 6 years old (chronologically) but could do when an 8 years old normally does he would be 8/6 = 1.33 as bright as the average. And in this way he made the ratio M.A./C.A., measure or the rate of mental development of an individual. To do away with the decimal point, the ratio was a gain multiplied by 100.

IQ= MA/CA*100

CLASSIFACATION OF I.Q.

I.Q. LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE

140 and above Gifted or Genius

120-140 Very Superior

110-120 Superior

90-110 Normal or Average

75-90 Border line & Dull

50-75 Morons

25-50 Imbeciles

Bellow 25 Idiods

Tests dealing with mechanical aptitude can be classified into two subgroups- measures of mechanical reasoning and/or information, and measures of spatial relations.Ex- Minnesota Spatial Relation Test.

MECHANICAL APTITUDE TESTS

1. TESTS OF VISION2. TESTS OF HEARING3. Eye of span4. Ear span

TESTS OF SENSORY ABILITY

Quite a variety of standardized performance tests are available for measuring fine and/or gross motor coordination. Some of the frequently used tests are listed below.1. PURDUE BOARD:- This timid test

requires pins to be placed into small holes in the pegboard, using first the right hand, then the left hand and finally both hands together.

2. MINNESOTA RATE OF MANIPULATION TEST etc.

TESTS FOR MOTOR ABILITY

The likelihood of success in an occupation in which one is interested should be greater than the likelihood of success in an occupation which a person finds not particularly interesting. For this reason it would seem sensible to obtain some measure of a person’s interests prior to placing him on a job or suggesting any particular vocation. Some interest measuring tools are:1. STRONG VOCATIONAL INTEREST

BLANK(SVIB)2. KUDIR PREFERENCE RECORD

INTEREST INVENTORIES