CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES Course Syllabus FALL 2002 SUBJECT NO. COURSE TITLE CREDIT HOURS Psychology 536 Personnel Psychology PREREQUISITES: PSY 336 and 211, or graduate standing, or permission of the instructor. PSY 310 recommended. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this course is to provide students with an overview of five core areas in personnel psychology: job analysis, criterion development, personnel selection, training, and performance evaluation. PROFESSOR: Stephen M. Colarelli 235 Sloan Hall Office hours are from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday 3 (3-0) TEXTBOOKS: Cascio, W. F. (1998). Applied psychology in human resource management (5th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Brannick, M. T., & Levine, E. L. (2002). Job analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Reserve Room (RR) Readings GENERAL METHODOLOGY: Lecture, discussion, and exercises. BULLETIN COPY: This course examines the identification, measurement, and development of individual differences and related human resource systems within organizations. Topics include job analysis, criterion development, personnel selection, training, and performance evaluation. EVALUATION: Two exams and two presentations; graduate students are also required to submit a term paper. SYLLABUS PREPARED BY: Stephen M. Colarelli SMC 8/02 2 Learning Objectives 1. Knowledge of personnel psychology. This objective is evaluated by the mid-term and final exams. It includes: (a) an understanding of the fundamentals of job analysis, criterion development, personnel selection, training, and performance evaluation; (b) knowledge of key theories, research findings, and contributors, (c) basic knowledge of the methodologies and applications in personnel psychology and their limitations. 2. Development of scientific and professional values and skills. Part of this objective is evaluated by your class participation, presentations, and (for graduate students) term paper. However, some aspects of this objective may evolve after this class (throughout your years at CMU and beyond) and thus cannot be evaluated in class. This objective includes: (a) thinking, writing, and speaking clearly; (b) an appreciation of the scientific method and rational inquiry, (c) understanding the importance of professional standards of quality and professional ethics in personnel psychology, and (d) an understanding of scientific, professional, and managerial values as they relate to the work of the personnel psychologist and an awareness of the potential conflict among these values. 3. Personal development. You will be the best judge of whether or not this objective has been achieved. Some benefits of the course may not become evident until after you have graduated and are a full-time member of the workforce. Specific personal development objectives include: (a) the ability to get along and work well with others in accomplishing a group goal; (b) the ability to communicate orally in large and small groups; (c) developing a sense of what constitutes efficient and effective applications of personnel psychology in organizations; and (d) developing a personal point of view about the value and role of personnel psychology in the workplace. Lectures and Discussions Lectures and discussions are important. The lectures cover material that is in the books and material not in the books. In the lectures I will explain some of the material in the books and cover some topics that are not in the books. Attendance at lectures is optional, although you may get more out of the course if you attend. I hope you also find the lectures sufficiently stimulating so that you enjoy coming to class. Class discussions are important. I am interested in hearing what you think about the topics we cover. Discussions allow us to see that there may be a variety of perspectives on an issue, and they can help us clarify our own thinking. In-Class Exercises Throughout the semester students may participate in in-class exercises. The exercises are designed to demonstrate and reinforce concepts from the book and lectures. Class Participation Students are graded on class participation. One reason is to promote courtesy and good manners in the classroom. Because our class involves discussions and class exercises, it is important – for the good of the entire class – that students be respectful towards one another. Another reason is that courtesy is important in the world of work. In general, employers prefer to hire (and keep) employees who are courteous. Students who are discourteous may be docked 20%. This can lower your final grade by as much as one letter grade. Students are expected to contribute to class discussions and demonstrate that they have read the material and thought about it. Students who attend regularly and participate effectively can earn an additional 10%. Presentations Students will have the opportunity to make two group presentations during the class. The objectives of the first presentation are to: (a) observe a personnel practice carried out on the Internet, (b) collect information about this practice, 3 and (c) critique the practice. The objectives of the second presentation are: (a) to inform the class of about current controversy in personnel psychology, (b) present both sides of the issue, and (c) present an argument, based on the research literature, in favor of one side. I grade presentations on content (what you say), clarity (how well you say it), and interest (keeping audience’s attention). All students in a group receive the same grade. Writing Assignment Term Paper. Graduate students should submit one scholarly paper. The term paper may be on any topic covered in this course. The format of the paper should be: (1) statement of the problem or question, (2) review of the literature and supporting evidence from scholarly articles, and (3) conclusions and recommendations. Your paper should be about 7 pages long (double spaced), excluding references. Please be sure to use a standard format (e.g., APA format, Chicago style, etc.). Your paper must have at least 10 different references from several of the following journals: Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Behavioral Science, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Organizational Dynamics, Administrative Science Quarterly, Human Relations, Human Performance, Journal of Business and Psychology, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and Psychological Bulletin. Additional references from other scholarly journals can be used as well. Papers are due on the last day of class. Late papers will be docked a half a letter grade for every day they are late beyond the due date. The criteria for grading the term paper are listed in Appendix 1 at the end of the syllabus. Exams There will be a mid-term and a final exam. They will be take-home, essay exams. The questions on the second exam will only cover the material presented after the first exam. The usual exam format is that I give you about eight or nine essay questions and ask you to answer about three of them. There may also be some definitions. Make-up exams. Make-up exams will be given at the discretion of the professor. Students may make up an exam within one week (7 days) from the original exam. Academic Honesty Any student who is caught cheating in the course will receive an E for the course. Any student who witnesses another student cheating and who does not report the dishonest student to the professor will receive an E for the course. Cheating includes using other people's answers on a test and plagiarizing other people's written work. Evaluation Requirement Percent (G) Percent (UG) Midterm 20% Final 20 25 Term Paper (graduate students only) 20 -- Presentation 1 20 25 Presentation 2 20 25 Class Participation -20 to 10% -20 to 10% 25% 4 Course Grade Percent Grade 0-4 Scale 93-100 A 4.0 90-92 A- 3.7 88-89 B+ 3.3 83-87 B 3.0 80-82 B- 2.7 78-79 C+ 2.3 73-77 C 2.0 70-72 C- 1.7 68-69 D+ 1.3 63-67 D 1.0 60-62 D- 0.7 59 E 0.6 COURSE OUTLINE Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Topic Assignment Syllabus Read Syllabus Overview of Personnel Psychology, Role of Psychology, Traditional and Systems Perspectives Cascio 1, 3 Job Analysis B & L 1, 2, 3 Job Analysis B & L 4, 9 HR Planning, Job Descriptions, Job Specifications Cascio 10 B &L 7, pp. 188-195 Criterion Development Cascio 4 Performance Appraisal Cascio 5 B & L 7, pp. 197-207 Performance Appraisal RR 1 Psychometrics Cascio 6 Appendix B Psychometrics Cascio 7 Student Presentations 1 Recruitment, Orientation, and Initial Screening Cascio 11, 12 RR 2, 3a, 3b Employment Testing Cascio 13 B & L 8, pp. 227-249 5 Week 7 8 Topic Assignment Employment Testing Cascio 14 RR 4a Selection - Process, Content, Context RR 4b, 4c MIDTERM 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Selection Out RR 5, 6, 7 Training Cascio 16 B & L 8, pp. 250-264 Training Cascio 17 RR 8, 9 International HRM RR 10 International HRM RR 11 Legal Issues Cascio 2 RR 12 B & L 6, pp. 165-170 Student Presentations 2 Legal Issues Cascio 8 B & L 6, pp. 171-186 Implementation and Utilization: Utility Analysis RR 13, 14 Implementation and Utilization: Other Concepts RR 15, 16 Ethics Cascio 18 Ethics RR 17 Prospects for the Future, Integration and Review RR 18, 19 B & L 10 Term paper due (Students will make a brief presentation about their papers before turning them in.) 16 Final Exam Bibliography Dunnette, M. D., & Hough, L. M. (Eds.) (1994), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (2nd ed.) (Vols. 1, 2, 3, 4). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. Ghorpade, J.V. (1988). Job Analysis: A Handbook for the Human Resource Director. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Heneman, H. G., Heneman, R. L., & Judge, T. A. (1996). Staffing Organizations. Chicago: Irwin. Murphy, K. R., & Cleveland, J. N. (1995). Understanding Performance Appraisal. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Noe . R. A. (1999). Employee Training and development. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Schmitt, N., & Borman, W. C. (1993). Personnel selection in organizations. San Francisco: JosseyBass. 6 Reserve Room Readings 1. Hogan, E. A. (1987). Effects of Prior Expectations on Performance Ratings: A Longitudinal Study. Academy of Management Journal, 30 354-368. 2. Lancaster, S. J., Colarelli, S. M., King, D. W., & Beehr, T. A. (1994). Job Applicant Similarity on Cognitive Ability, Vocational Interests, and Personality Characteristics Do Similar Persons Choose Similar Jobs? Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54, 229-316. 3a. Sackett, P. R. and Ostgaard, D. J. (1994). Job-Specific Applicant Pools and National Norms for Cognitive Ability Tests: Implications for Range Restriction Corrections in Validation Research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 680-684. 3b. Colarelli, S. M., Alampay, M. R., & Canali, K. G. (2002). Letters of recommendation: An evolutionary perspective. Human Relations, 55, 315-344. 4a. Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings. Psychological Bulletin, 124, 262-274. 4b. Colarelli, S. M., Alampay, M. R., & Canali, K. G. (2002). Letters of recommendation: An evolutionary perspective. Human Relations, 55, 315-344. 4c. Steiner, D. D., & Gilliland, S. W. (1996). Fairness reactions to personnel selection techniques in France and the United States, Journal of Applied Psychology, 81, 134-141. 5. Caplan, R. D., Vinokar, A. D., Price, R. H. & Van Ryn, M. (1989). Job Seeking, Reemployment, and Mental Health: A Randomized Field Experiment in Coping With Job Loss. Journal of Applied Psychology, 759-769. 6. Colarelli, S. M. & Beehr, T. A. (1993). Selection Out: Firings, Layoffs, and Retirement. In N. Schmitt & W. C. Borman (Eds.), Personnel selection in organizations (pp. 341-384). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 7. Spera, S. P., Morin, D. B., Buhrfeind, E. D. & Pennebaker, J. W. Expressive Writing and Coping With Job Loss. Unpublished Manuscript. 8. Heckman, J. J. (1994). Is Job Training Oversold? The Public Interest, Spring (pp. 91-115). 9. Brown, K. G. (2001). Using computers to deliver training: Which employees learn and why? Personnel Psychology 54, 271-296. 10. Arvey, R. D., Bhagat, R. S. & Salas, E. (1991). Cross-cultural and Cross National Issues in Personnel and Human Resources Management: Where Do We Go From Here? In G. R. Ferris & K. M. Rowland (Eds.). Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, (Vol. 9) (pp. 367-407). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. 11. Guzzo, R. A., Noonan, K. A. & Elron, E. (1994). Expatriate Managers and the Psychological Contract. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 617-626. 12. Sackett, P. R., & Wilk, S. L. (1994). Within-group norming and other forms of score adjustment in preemployment testing. American Psychologist, 49, 929-954. 13. Latham, G. P. & Whyte, Glen (1994). The Futility of Utility Analysis. Personnel Psychology, 47, 31-46. 14. Johns, G. (1991). Constraints on the Adoption of Psychology - Based Personnel Practices: Lessons From Organizational Innovation. Personnel Psychology, 46, 569-592. 15. Colarelli, S. M. (1996). Establishment and Job Context Influences On the Use of Hiring Practices. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 45, 153-176. 16. Colarelli, S. M. & Montei, M. S. (1996). Some Contextual Influences on Training Utilization. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 32, 306-322. 17. American Psychological Association (1990). Ethical Principles of Psychologists. American Psychologist, 45, 390-395. 18. Colarelli, S. M., Dean, R. A. & Konstans, C. (1987). Comparative Effects of Personal and Situational Influences on Job Outcomes of New Professionals. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72. 558-566. 19. Colarelli, S. M. (1998). Psychological interventions in organizations: An evolutionary perspective. American Psychologist, 53, 1044-1056. 7 Appendix 1 Criteria for Grading Written Assignments. 1. Is the topic appropriate? Is the topic related to personnel psychology--specifically to the areas covered on course syllabus? 2. Is paper logically organized? 3. Problem statement Purpose and objectives of paper Point of view to be argued Evidence pro and con Summary and implications Is paper well written? Good prose Good grammar and spelling Papers or proposals with 5 or more spelling and/or grammatical errors will receive an E. Coherent sentences and paragraphs Logical transitions Tightly focused 4. Does paper have a point of view? 5. Does paper cite at least 15 references from scholarly journals? (Papers only) 6. Format and documentation Does paper use a standard format (e.g., APA, Chicago)? (APA for research proposals) Are quotes and ideas of others referenced in paper? Are all sources cited in reference list, and are sources completely documented in the reference list? Is the paper about 7 pages long? 8 Syllabus Prepared By: Stephen M. Colarelli 235 Sloan Hall Email: colar1sm@cmich.edu Web: http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/Stephen_Colarelli Office hours are on Monday and Wednesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Signature Date CMU provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in educational programs, activities, and services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should contact me as early as possible. 8/2002