Careers in Psychology

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

1. Hugo Munsterberg – “Father” of Industrial Psychology

In 1911, cautioned managers to be concerned with “all the questions of the mind … “

First to encourage government funded research in industrial psych.

In 1913, published Psychology and Industrial Efficiency

Brief History of I/O Psychology

Persons need to fit organizations

Behavioral science can help organizations shape better-fitting employees

New employees can serve as “replacement parts” for the organizational machine

Assumptions of Munsterberg’s Approach

2. Frederick W. Taylor – First “Efficiency Expert”

Argued for redesign of workplace to achieve

higher productivity

Conducted first time and motion studies of

worker behavior

In 1911, published The Principles of Scientific

Management

Work methods should be designed scientifically to maximize efficiency

The best workers should be selected,then trained in the best work methods

Showed iron workers more productive if given rest periods:

*Productivity increased almost 4-fold*Production cost dropped by more

than 50%

Assumptions of Taylor’s Approach

1. Inhumane exploitation of workers to increase profits

2. Increased unemployment because fewer workers needed to do same amount of work

First World War Ends Complaints!

Complaints Against Taylor(and other Efficiency Experts)

3. Robert Yerkes – “Father” of group testing

In 1917, proposed ways of screening army

recruits for mental deficiency and assigning

to specific army jobs

Created Army Alpha and Army Beta pencil-

and-paper intelligence tests

1917 – Journal of Applied Psychology first published

1921 – James McKeen Cattell founds The Psychological Corporation to promote usefulness of psychology to industry

1924 – Hawthorne Studies conducted to identify factors increasing productivity

1933 – Elton Mayo demonstrates importance of employee attitudes and employer sensitivity

Other Significant Events

1932 – Morris Viteles publishes Industrial Psychology, first use of that phrase in print

1939 – Kurt Lewin publishes first empirical study of effects of leadership style

1941-1945 – I/O psychologists help army develop General Classification Test for draftees

OSS (precursor to CIA) develops stress and other assessment tests for candidates to be agents

Other Significant Events

1945 – Kurt Lewin forms Research Center for Group Dynamics at MIT (later moved to U. of Michigan)

1946 – I/O psychologists form Division 14 of APA

1950’s – Skinner initiates discussion of behaviorism applied to the workplace

1960’s – David McClelland (and others) propose various theories of achievement motivation

Other Significant Events

1970’s – Skinner (in Beyond Freedom and Dignity) advocates b. mod. strategies to motivate persons in organizations

Porter and Lawler propose expectancy model of motivation in the workplace

1980’s to present – Explosion of I/O research and application

Other Significant Events

“The general practice specialty of professional psychology with a focus on scientifically based solutions to human problems in work and other organizational settings.”

I/O Psychology Defined

Core undergraduate education in

1. Biological bases of behavior2. Cognitive-affective bases of behavior3. Social bases of behavior4. Individual differences5. Research methods6. Psychological/behavioral measurement7. Statistical methods

Educational Requirements

Advanced (graduate) education in1. Ethical/legal issues in the practice of I/O psychology2. Consulting and business skills3. Attitude theory4. Career development5. Consumer behavior6. Health/stress effects on individuals in organizations7. Human factors and performance (a la Taylor)8. Individual/group/organizational assessment methods9. Job/task analysis10. Job evaluation11. Work motivation and compensation12. Leadership and management theory13. Organizational theory14. Training theory and program design/evaluation

Educational Requirements

Job/task analyses Development/validation of organizational

policies/procedures Analyses of employee morale, job

satisfaction, and organizational environment Leadership and team development Management consultation and coaching Human resource planning and policy

analyses Expert testimony in employer/employee

disputes, such as sexual harassment cases

What I/O Psychologists Do