• Unit 10: Industrial and Organizational Psychology

    In this unit, we investigate industrial and organizational psychology, also known as I/O psychology. This subfield is concerned with studying behavior in an organizational setting (such as in the workplace) and using principles of psychology to understand work behaviors. This is a rather new subfield within psychology, but it is growing quickly due to its interesting line of inquiry.

    Psychologists divide the subfield of I/O psychology into industrial and organizational psychology – the terms are not interchangeable. Industrial psychology focuses on job analysis, such as describing and measuring a task or a job. As such, people specializing in industrial psychology are often tasked with writing job requirements, interviewing and hiring employees, training new employees, evaluating performance, and assuring that an organization abides by equality laws.

    Organizational psychologists, on the other hand, are mostly concerned with the social aspects of work life. This includes determining how we ensure job satisfaction, examining the effectiveness of different leadership or management styles, exploring work-family balance options, and conducting diversity training.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • define the subfield of Industrial/Organizational psychology and explain its history;
      • compare industrial and organizational psychology and their real-life applications; and
      • explain how human factors psychology relates to Industrial/Organizational psychology.

      • 10.1: Industrial and Organizational Psychology

        As the following chapter notes, "Industrial/Organizational or I/O psychology is concerned with applying psychological principles to work settings. In other words, I/O psychologists study how human behavior impacts work as well as how work affects people.

        This rather new subfield dates back to the early 20th century when a number of psychologists in the United States began to apply psychological principles to work settings. Here are some notable examples.

        • Walter Dill Scott (1869–1955) is credited with applying these principles to marketing, management, advertising as well as employee selection.
        • Millicent Pond (1889–) studied employee selection in relation to job performance and was among the first to develop pre-selection employment selection tools.
        • Elton Mayo (1880–1949) focused on organizational dynamics, and his work ultimately led to the discovery of the Hawthorne effect, the phenomenon in which employees are more productive when they are observed. The Hawthorne effect is still relevant in many of today's workplaces.
        • Kurt Lewin (1890–1947) contributed to the field by coining the term group dynamics and exploring group relations in work settings.
        • Frederick Taylor (1856–1915) focused on design aspects of the workplace (which led to the subfield of human factors psychology), and Lillian Gilbreth (1878–1972) applied psychological principles to employee fatigue and time management stress."
        • Industrial-Organizational Psychology Page

          Watch this lecture, which covers topics such as the Hawthorne effect, job analysis, interviews, training, performance appraisals, bias and protections in hiring, the Americans with Disabilities Act, job satisfaction, the work-family balance, and organizational culture.

        • I/O Psychology Book

          Read this chapter on the field of I/O psychology. Pay attention to the distinction between industrial and organizational psychology. What does an industrial psychologist do on a daily basis? How is this different from an organizational psychologist? Is it accurate to use these two terms interchangeably?

        • More on I/O Psychology Page

          Read this article, which outlines what an I/O psychologist does. Why do you think this might be a good career option for you, or why not?

      • 10.2: Human Factors Psychology

        Human factors psychology is a third specialization within the realm of I/O psychology. This subfield has its roots in design and engineering and is concerned with how employees interact with the tools and environments of the workplace. For example, human factors psychologists might redesign an office space to allow more space for interaction or more room for quiet, focused activities. Human factors psychologists also focus on workplace safety, such as by developing checklists or similar procedures.

        • Human Factors Psychology and Workplace Design Page

          This section focuses on human factors psychology, particularly the integration of humans and machines in the workplace. This field draws not only on psychology but also has roots in engineering and design. As you read, ask yourself what machines are important for your work and how you interact with them. Are there methods for improving those interactions?

      • Unit 10 Assessment

        • Unit 10 Assessment Quiz
          Receive a grade

          Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.

          • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
          • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
          • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.