Introduction to Industrial and motivation, job satisfaction, and stress at
Organizational Psychology work.
Industrial Psychology was born out of trying On a broader scale, organizational
to understand the relationship of man and psychologists may also look at various
his workplace. At the end of this chapter, group processes present such as
you will be able to: employee-superior relationships,
organizational structure, corporate politics
1. Illustrate the differences and importance of and the like.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
2. Identify important figures in the early Industrial and organizational psychology is
history of Industrial Psychology divided into two (2) fields where an
individual may want to focus on.
3. Discriminate how Industrial Organizational
Psychology is evolving today
Some psychologists decide to focus on the
4. Hypothesize on the future of Industrial science part of psychology where they are
focused on scientific research.
Organizational Psychology
On the other hand, some may focus on the
Definition and Importance of Industrial and practice of I/O where they go into human
Organizational Psychology Psychology is resource management in corporations.
the scientific study of an individual, his
behaviors and how his mind works. Whichever field of industrial and
organizational psychology is focused on
In the vast topic of psychology, industrial (whether on research or practice), I/O
and organizational psychology looks at the psychologists are expected to study and
person in his work environment and studies conduct thorough investigations on how to
how different organizational and group appreciate human behavior in the workplace
elements influence his mind and actions. and at the same time apply these discoveries
to improve work behavior and the work
Industrial psychology involves looking into environment.
different job functions present in
organizations such as selection and Organizations greatly benefit from I/O
recruitment of new employees, learning and studies where theories are applied to real life
development, and performance organizational situations.
management.
Making these discoveries the core of
Organizational psychology takes it further institutional strategies and programs allow
by looking into different underlying factors for higher productive teams that result in
that influence the individual such as achieved bottom lines.
Brief Early History Scott is known in the industry for being the
first to articulate selection and recruitment
The beginnings of I/O psychology dates factors that included appearance and
back to the pre World War 1 era where the character.
first school for professional management
was established in 1881. He also developed selection tests that
measured intelligence and other
The University of Pennsylvania received a skills needed in certain jobs.
donation from Joseph Wharton to start
research and studies revolving around I/O Hugo Munsterberg, dubbed as the father of
psychology. industrial psychology, became the
forerunner of applying psychological
A few years later, W.L. Bryan gave a speech findings to real life situations.
in the American Psychological Association
(APA) where he encouraged psychologists While working at the University of Leipzig
to conduct research on "concrete activities in Germany, Munsterberg did a lot of
and functions as they appear in everyday psychological laboratory experiments in his
life". home due to the lack of resources in the
university.
In 1903, Walter Dill Scott published books
on the application of psychology in At the First International Congress of
advertising called: The Theory and Practice Psychology in Paris, he was introduced to
of Advertising. William James who in turn invited him to
lead the psychological laboratory in
In 1909, he became a professor of applied Harvard.
psychology and led the bureau of
salesmanship research in Pittsburgh In 1898, he became the president of the
Carnegie Technical University. APA. Munsterbeg is known for his article
"Psychology and the Market" that allowed
When World War 1 came, Scott offered help psychology to branch to different fields such
to the US military in selecting personnel. as advertising, guidance, personal
Though it took time convincing the military management, mental testing, motivation and
of his techniques, he was later on awarded stress.
for his help.
In 1913, his book called the Psychology and
At the end of the war, Scott formed his Industrial Efficiency was one of the top
company called the Scott Company that selling books as it tackled principles on
offered consulting services for selection and selection of employees, work efficiency and
recruitment as well as worker efficiency. its effects on sales, advertising, and
marketing.
He argued that workers hired for certain jobs of such. He argued that efficiency would
must be based on their emotional and mental only result in greater bottom lines rather
abilities. than its opposite.
This would then bring up job satisfaction, At the time of World War 1, Robert Yerkes
productivity and efficiency as evidenced in was the most influential psychologist due to
his many researches that correlated mental his work on selection of soldiers based on
abilities with such factors. mental health.
Apart from this, Munsterberg became Psychologists at this time focused on
famous for his beliefs on women and work studying soldier drive, confidence, discipline
stating that women were qualified for higher and psychological problems such as shell
education but should be restrained from shock.
working as this would disturb their home
responsibilities. At this time, the Journal of Applied
Psychology was also released which
He also did some studies on continues on to be today's most trusted
psychological factors and mental journal for I/O psychology.
illnesses and crimes.
In 1924, Hawthorne Works of the Western
Frederick W. Taylor is known for his Electric Company conducted research on
contribution to revamping work situations to lighting and efficiency. They noticed that as
obtain higher productivity for the lighting increased, efficiency increased.
organization and efficiency for the worker.
However, it was also noticed that when
In 1909, his book called the Shop lights dimmed, efficiency was still
Management focused on organization's increasing. Researchers hypothesized that
management's role in encouraging higher workers were performing to please them.
productivity from workers thereby avoiding
people's inclination to slack off at work. This gave birth to the Hawthorne effect
—wherein a change in behavior is seen due
In 1911, Taylor's book called The Principles to a new stimulus.
of Scientific Management proposed two
main principles of making processes or work The observed change though is assumed to
methods work efficiently and getting and decrease as the new stimulus becomes
training workers. Because of his claims. he ordinary for the people.
was subject to much
In 1933, Elton Mayo further strengthened
controversy of manipulating workers for this study calling on organizations to treat
higher wages and plausible unemployment
workers as people and not a means to an Evolving I/O Psychology and the Future
end.
I/O psychology continues to evolve to
He stressed on the importance of today's times and is ever more relevant due
employee attitudes, good superior to the fast changes in the work environment
and employee relations and the and the person.
effects of these on production.
Researchers and practitioners alike have
By World War 2, many I/O practices were been updating I/O practices that have been
greatly improved to include the Army existing since its start to adapt to today's
General Classification Test which served as world and its needs.
a selection assessment of soldiers.
With great technological advancements and
A test was also formed for the US Office of greater competition, trends in 1/0
Strategic Services (precursor of CIA) to psychology have revolved around
assess performance under stressful globalization, online and technology based
situations. processes, work-life integration, diversified
workforce and employee engagement.
At this time, clinical psychologists such as
Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow's Take a look at how these affect
theories of motivation gave a lot more organizations and workers.
insight into industrial psychology.
1) Globalization has been the talk of
Pertinent to the development of I/O town since the late 90s and it
psychology is the research that B.F. Skinner continues to be a major concern for
did in Beyond Freedom and Dignity where psychologists because of how it
he talked about behavior modification shapes and changes organizations.
methods in motivating people.
Psychologists may now need to look
From here on, developments on I/O into cross-cultural working relations
psychology revolved around technological in companies as well as effects of
advancements, its effects on work mergers and acquisitions.
productivity and quality circles which gave
birth to Total Quality Management, These pre-suppose a merging of
Continuous Quality Improvement and cultures, beliefs and practices where
Continuous Process Improvement. employees will need to adjust and
blend with.
2) With advanced technological
developments, organizations are
now being able to conduct their management and Millennials
processes online and via the infiltrating rank and file positions.
worldwide web.
Creating diversity benefits the
Recruitment coursed through social organization through the culmination
media and online resume of talents and experiences from
repositories, interviews and meetings characteristically different people.
are now being done through online
chat forums, training via online Organizations also get a broader set
learning management systems, of skills and viewpoints.
record keeping via cloud systems.
It does present its challenges though
To say the least, employees have had in communication, adaptability,
to keep up with different software policy making and management of
and programs available to them and diversity.
their job functions.
5) There is a great call for mentoring
3) Due to accessibility of work, people and coaching in the workplace
have seen their jobs transcend into which brings employees to take their
their private lives. Gone are the days current realities into case studies.
when work can be delineated from
one's personal life. With the help of a mentor or a coach,
they are able to maneuver and
Nowadays, organizations promote discover from a distance solutions to
work-life integration where their own challenges.
employees are expected to balance
work with their personal lives. This veers away from traditional
classroom training programs where
Work continues to seep in through employees just sit and listen.
technology and more health
programs offered for the wellness of Mentoring and coaching engages
employees. them and draws out answers through
self-discovery.
4) Unique to the workforce today is the
presence of four generations in KEY TERMS
organizations.
Psychology - scientific study of an
Baby boomers are still present individual, his behaviors and how his
mostly in senior ranking positions, mind works
Gen X and Y in the middle
Industrial Psychology-looking into
different job functions present in
organizations
Organizational Psychology-looking
into different underlying factors that
influence the individual
Practitioner - someone who
practices the field, employed in
organizations to practice I/O
psychology
Hawthorne Effect - a change in
behavior is seen due to a new
stimulus
Globalization - process where
businesses expand and operate on an
international scale
