Example Syllabus: Organizational Psychology
Course Description and Goals
This course will introduce you to the O side of I/O psychology. My goal is to broadly cover the field so
you can have a taste of what organizational psychology is all about. Your job is to engage with the
material and dig more deeply into the area of organizational psychology that interests you the most.
Toward that end, there are several goals for this class that we will work toward together:
1. Learning about organizational psychology, broadly defined
2. Understanding why both I and O perspectives are important
3. Developing an interest in some area of organizational psychology and becoming especially
knowledgeable about that area
4. Improving your technical writing skills
5. Improving your presentation skills
Required Text and Materials
Readings for this course will come from the following textbook and from the attached list of weekly
readings.
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Jex, S. M., & Britt, T. W. (2014). Organizational psychology: A scientist-practitioner approach
(3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Course Details
You will earn your grade in this course by engaging in the process of learning about organizational
psychology. One way I can help you to do this is by distributing my evaluation of your knowledge across
multiple components. The following sections detail how these multiple components fit together and are
combined into your final course grade:
In-Class Participation (out of 30 points)
Classes will be a mix of lecture by me and discussion with you. Your active involvement as a prepared
student is required. This means you will need to be able to ask and answer relevant questions about each
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day’s particular topic. For each class you are expected to generate at least two discussion-initiating
questions from each reading for that day. Type these up and bring them to class. You can use them during
the class, and then I will collect them at the end as proof of your involvement.
Adding Extra Depth: Weekly Research Presentations (out of 30 points)
Each week a student will be responsible for providing the group with a summary presentation of an
additional research study related to the topic at hand. This study is not one of those included in the weekly
readings, and therefore offers the student a chance to demonstrate his or her interests more directly. In
these presentations you should address: (1) purpose of the study and its rationale, (2) the hypotheses and
their nature, (3) the method used (strengths and limitations included), (4) the analyses and results, (5)
main take-home points, and (6) what you feel could be done to replicate with a better study. These
presentations are a chance for you to hone your presentation skills, and they are a chance for all of us to
learn about your understanding of the material and where it fits within your interests. Make sure to check
your article with me before you prepare it for presentation.
Mid-Term Examination (out of 100 points, 25 for each answer + 25 on short answers)
Approximately halfway through the course we will have an examination. This examination will evaluate
your knowledge of basic concepts covered up to this point and will also ask you to provide answers to
three of four integrative questions. These questions will be based on the material covered up to the time of
this exam.
Project Option 1: Literature Review (out of 100 points)
At the end of the semester you will hand in a literature review that could serve as the foundation for a
study. This paper must be focused on some element of organizational psychology. A one-page statement
of your proposed topic is due to me by the middle of the semester
Project Option 2: Applied Project (out of 100 points)
As we cover various topics throughout the semester, pick a topic that is especially interesting to you. In
order to better understand the topic in an applied setting, contact an organization and interview an
employee (or several) about the topic in their company. For example, you could ask employees about
common stressors in their organization, ask about what motivates their performance, or ask how work
teams are organized and how effective they are. Then provide recommendations based on past theory and
research for any issues they may be experiencing, or provide empirical support for the positive state of the
organization.
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Project Option 3: Popular Psychology Facts versus Myths (out of 100 points)
Pick a class topic that is also a hot topic in organizations, such as leadership, motivation, or teamwork.
Find either one book or several online articles that are designed to be how-to guides for improving the
organization or employee on the given topic. Evaluate the material based on theory and empirical
research.
Final Exam (out of 100 total points, 25 per question)
In preparation for your future experience with written comprehensive examinations, your final exam in
this class will consist of you writing short essay-type answers to four of five integrative questions. These
questions will be based on content covered throughout this semester (so, yes, it is cumulative). More
details on the format of this exam will be provided as we get closer to the end of the course.
Grading
I do not “give” grades; you earn them. At the end of the semester the total number of points you earned
across these multiple components will be summed, and your grade will be determined by comparing it
against the following (out of a total possible 360 points):
Grade
Point range earning this grade
A
324–360
B
280–323
C
Below 280
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Tentative Course Schedule
(Any updates will be announced in class)
Week 1
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Course Overview.
Week 2: Introduction to Organizational Psychology and Its Methods
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Text Chapters 1 and 2.
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Currall, S. C., & Towler, A. J. (2003). Research methods in management and organizational
research: Toward integration of qualitative and quantitative techniques. In A. Tashakkori, & C.
Teddlie (Eds.), Handbook of mixed methods in social & behavioral research (pp. 513–526).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Ohly, S., Sonnentag, S., Niessen, C., & Zapf, D. (2010). Diary studies in organizational
research. Journal of Personnel Psychology, 9(2), 79–93.
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Schaffer, B. S., & Riordan, C. M. (2003). A review of cross-cultural methodologies for
organizational research: A best-practices approach. Organizational Research Methods, 6(2), 169–
215.
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Spector, P. E. (2001). Research methods in industrial and organizational psychology: Data
collection and data analysis with special consideration to international issues. In N. Anderson, D.
S. Ones, H. K. Sinangil, & C. Viswesvaran (Eds.), Handbook of industrial, work and
organizational psychology (pp. 10–26). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Week 3: Attraction and Socialization
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Text Chapter 3.

Agthe, M., Spörrle, M., Frey, D., & Maner, J. K. (2014). Looking up versus looking
down: Attractiveness‐based organizational biases are moderated by social comparison
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direction. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 44(1), 40–45.
Allen, D. G. (2006). Do organizational socialization tactics influence newcomer
embeddedness and turnover? Journal of Management, 32(2), 237–256.
Morrison, E. W. (2002). Newcomers' relationships: The role of social network ties during
socialization. Academy of Management Journal, 45(6), 1149–1160.
Rynes, S. L., & Barber, A. E. (1990). Applicant attraction strategies: An organizational
perspective. Academy of Management Review, 15(2), 286–310.
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Uggerslev, K. L., Fassina, N. E., & Kraichy, D. (2012). Recruiting through the stages: A
meta‐analytic test of predictors of applicant attraction at different stages of the recruiting
process. Personnel Psychology, 65(3), 597–660.
Week 4: The Work–Nonwork Interface
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Text Chapter 4.
Allen, T. D., Lapierre, L. M., Spector, P. E., Poelmans, S. A., O'Driscoll, M., Sanchez, J.
I., . . . & Woo, J. M. (2014). The link between national paid leave policy and work–
family conflict among married working parents. Applied Psychology, 63(1), 5–28.
Bachman, J. G., Staff, J., O’Malley, P. M., & Freedman-Doan, P. (2013). Adolescent
work intensity, school performance, and substance use: Links vary by race/ethnicity and
socioeconomic status. Developmental Psychology, 49(11), 2125.
Frone, M. R., Russell, M., & Cooper, M. L. (1992). Antecedents and outcomes of workfamily conflict: Testing a model of the work-family interface. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 77(1), 65.
Lapierre, L. M., & Allen, T. D. (2006). Work-supportive family, family-supportive
supervision, use of organizational benefits, and problem-focused coping: Implications for
work-family conflict and employee well-being. Journal of Occupational Health
Psychology, 11(2), 169.
Shockley, K. M., & Allen, T. D. (2014). Deciding between work and family: An episodic
approach. Personnel Psychology.
Tang, S. W., Siu, O. L., & Cheung, F. (2014). A study of work–family enrichment among
Chinese employees: The mediating role between work support and job satisfaction.
Applied Psychology, 63(1), 130–150.
Wang, M., & Shi, J. (2014). Psychological research on retirement. Annual Review of
Psychology, 65, 209–233.
Week 5: Productive and Dysfunctional Behavior in Organizations
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Text Chapters 5 and 6.
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Hershcovis, M. S., Turner, N., Barling, J., Arnold, K. A., Dupré, K. E., Inness, M., . . . &
Sivanathan, N. (2007). Predicting workplace aggression: A meta-analysis. Journal of applied
Psychology, 92(1), 228.
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Johns, G. (2001). The psychology of lateness, absenteeism, and turnover. In N. Anderson, D. S.
Ones, H. K. Sinangil, & C. Viswesvaran (Eds.), Handbook of industrial, work and organizational
psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 232–252). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Neal, A., & Hesketh, B. (2001). Productivity in organizations. In N. Anderson, D. S. Ones, H. K.
Sinangil, & C. Viswesvaran (Eds.), Handbook of industrial, work and organizational psychology
(Vol. 2, pp. 7–24). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Podsakoff, N. P., Whiting, S. W., Podsakoff, P. M., & Blume, B. D. (2009) Individual- and
organizational-level consequences of organizational citizenship behaviors: A meta-analysis.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(1), 122–141.
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Spector, P. E., Fox, S., Penney, L. M., Bruursema, K., Goh, A., & Kessler, S. (in press). The
dimensionality of counterproductivity: Are all counterproductive behaviors created equal?
Journal of Vocational Behavior.
Week 6: Occupational Health Psychology
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Text Chapter 7.
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Beehr, T. A., & Glazer, S. (2005). Organizational role stress. In J. Barling, E. K. Kelloway, & M.
R. Frone (Eds.), Handbook of work stress (pp. 7–33). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Griffin, M. A., & Clarke, S. (2011). Stress and well-being at work. In S. Zedeck (Ed.), APA
handbook of industrial and organizational psychology: Vol. 3. Maintaining, expanding, and
contracting the organization (pp. 359–397). Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
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Jex, S. M., Swanson, N., & Grubb, P. (2013). Healthy workplaces. In N. W. Schmidt, S.
Highhouse, & I. Weiner (Eds.), Handbook of psychology, industrial and organizational
psychology (2nd ed., pp. 615–642). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Week 7: Attitudes and Emotions in the Workplace
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Text Chapter 8.
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Ashkanasy, N. M., & Ashton-James, C. E. (2005). Emotion in organizations: A neglected topic in
I/O psychology, but with a bright future. In C. L. Cooper & I. T. Robertson (Eds.), International
review of industrial and organizational psychology 2005 (pp. 221–268). Chichester, UK: John
Wiley & Sons.
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Meyer, J. P., Stanley, D. J., Herscovitch, L., & Topolnytsky, L. (2002). Affective, continuance,
and normative commitment to the organization: A meta-analysis of antecedents, correlates, and
consequences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 61, 20–52.
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Riggle, R. J., Edmondson, D. R., & Hansen, J. D. (2009). A meta-analysis of the relationship
between perceived organizational support and job outcomes: 20 years of research. Journal of
Business Research, 62(10), 1027–1030.
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Schleicher, D. J., Watt, J. D., & Greguras, G. J. (2004). Reexamining the job satisfactionperformance relationship: The complexity of attitudes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89, 165–
177.
Week 8: Motivation
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Text Chapters 9 and 10.
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Donovan, J. J. (2002). Work motivation. In N. Anderson, D. S. Ones, H. K. Sinagil, & C.
Viswesvaran (Eds.), Handbook of industrial, work, and organizational psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 53–
76). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Grant, A. M., Fried, Y., & Juillerat, T. (2011). Work matters: Job design in classic and
contemporary perspectives. In S. Zedeck (Ed.), APA handbook of industrial and
organizational psychology: Vol. 1. Building and developing the organization (pp. 417–453).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Martochhio, J. J. (2011). Strategic reward and compensation plans. In S. Zedeck (Ed.), APA
handbook of industrial and organizational psychology: Vol. 1. Building and developing the
organization (pp. 343–372). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
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Pinder, C. C. (1998). Work motivation in organizational behavior (Chaps. 9–14). Glenview, IL: Scott
Foresman.
Week 9: Exam 1
Week 10: Break?
Week 11: Leadership and Followership
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Text Chapter 11.
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Barling, J., Christie, A., & Hoption, C. (2011). Leadership. In S. Zedeck (Ed.), APA handbook of
industrial and organizational psychology: Vol. 1. Building and developing the organization (pp.
183–240). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
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Crant, J. M., & Bateman, T. S. (2000). Charismatic leadership viewed from above: The impact of
proactive personality. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 21, 63–75.
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Wang, G., Oh, I. S., Courtright, S. H., & Colbert, A. E. (2011). Transformational
leadership and performance across criteria and levels: A meta-analytic review of 25 years
of research. Group & Organization Management, 36(2), 223–270.
Week 12: Team Dynamics and Processes
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Text Chapter 12.
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Allen, N. J., & Hecht, T. D. (2004). The “romance of teams”: Toward an understanding of its
psychological underpinnings and implications. Journal of Occupational and Organizational
Psychology, 77, 439–461.
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Kozlowski, S. W. J., & Ilgen, D. R. (2006). Enhancing the effectiveness of work groups and
teams. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 7(3), 77–124.
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LePine, J. A., Piccolo, R. F., Jackson, C. L., Mathieu, J. E., & Saul, J. R. (2008). A meta-analysis
of teamwork processes: Tests of a multidimensional model and relationships with team
effectiveness criteria. Personnel Psychology, 61(2), 273–307.
Week 13: Organizational Theory and Design

Text Chapter 13.
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McKenna, D. D., & Wright, P. M. (1992). Alternative metaphors for organization design. In M.
D. Dunnette & L. M. Hough (Eds.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology (2nd
ed., Vol. 3, pp. 901–960). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
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Morgeson, F. P., & Campion, M. A. (2003). Work design. In W. C. Borman, D. R. Ilgen, & R. J.
Klimoski (Eds.), Handbook of psychology (Vol. 12, pp. 423–452). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons.
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Oldham, G. R. (1996). Job design. In C. L. Cooper & I. T. Robertson (Eds.), International review
of industrial and organizational psychology 1996 (pp. 33–60). Chichester, UK: John Wiley &
Sons.
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Oswick, C., Fleming, P., & Hanlon, G. (2011). From borrowing to blending: Rethinking
the processes of organizational theory building. Academy of Management Review, 36(2),
318–337.
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Parker, S. K., & Wall, T. D. (2001). Work design: Learning from the past and mapping a new
terrain. In N. Anderson, D. S. Ones, H. K. Sinangil, & C. Viswesvaran (Eds.), Handbook of
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industrial, work and organizational psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 90–109). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.
Week 14: Organizational Culture, Development, and Change
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Text Chapters 14 and 15.
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Ashkanasy, N. M., & Jackson, C. R. A. (2002). Organizational culture and climate. In N.
Anderson, D. S. Ones, H. K. Sinangil, & C. Viswesvaran (Eds.), Handbook of industrial, work
and organizational psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 398–415). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Austin, J. R., & Bartunek, J. M. (2003). Theories and practices of organizational development. In
W. C. Borman, D. R. Ilgen, R. J. Klimoski, & I. B. Weiner (Eds.), Handbook of psychology: Vol.
12. Industrial and organizational psychology (pp. 309–332). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
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Hartnell, C. A., Ou, A. Y., & Kinicki, A. (2011). Organizational culture and organizational
effectiveness: A meta-analytic investigation of the competing values framework's theoretical
suppositions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(4), 677.
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Schneider, B., Ehrhart, M. G., & Macey, W. H. (2013). Organizational climate and culture.
Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 361–388.
Week 15: Presentations
Week 16: Final Exam
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