UNIT-1
Q.1. Define Industrial Psychology
Ans.
According to McCormick and Iigen “Industrial
Psychology is the study of human behaviour in the work related
aspects of life and the application of knowledge of human
behaviour to the minimization of human problems in industry.”
Explaination—Industrial psychology studies all aspects of
human behaviour at work settings and applies basic knowledge
about human behaviour to minimize the problems of workers.
Industrial psychology is an applied psychology, which studies
the behaviour of human being who are working in industry,
business, service and research organizations. It applies the
psychological principles to minimize the worker problems and
maintain the welfare of the workers.
Q.2. Scope of Industrial Psychology
Ans. Scope is the domain within which some action takes
place. Another way of defining scope of industrial psychology
would be to catalogue what psychologists do in industry.
1. Personnel Psychology :It applies the methods and
principles of psychology in analyzing the jobs, selecting and
evaluating workers. In this area psychologists study about :
(i) Job Analysis
(ii) Personnel selection or Selection of workers
(iii) Training of Employees
2. Organizational Psychology. It examines the effects of work
environments and management styles on worker motivation, job
satisfaction and productivity. Psychologists involved in
organizational psychology are concerned with :
(i)Job Satisfaction.
(ii) Motivation
(iii) Relations between the worker and management.
(iv) Leadership
3. Human Factors. Psychologists in the area of human factors
concentrate on :
(i)Work-design
(ii) Working Conditions
(iii) Ergonomics
4. Consumer Psychology. The term consumer psychology
refers to the study of how people relate to the goods and services
they use in their daily lives
5. Managerial Psychology. Managerial psychology is about
applying understanding of people to creating best practices in
the management and development of people. Managerial
Psychology is mainly concerned with the problems of
management of industry.
Q.3. Application of Psychology in Organization
OR
Role of Psychology in Engineering
Ans.Industrial Psychology concerns the application of
psychological concepts to the work environment. Industrial
Psychology professionals often perform consulting work for
companies. Some functions and goals of Industrial Psychology
are as listed:

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





Increase worker productivity
Design safe work environments
Train new employees
Help organize the company's management structure
Job Analysis
Realization of potentiality of Employee
Individual Differences
Problem solver
Q.4. What are the major influences on Industrial
Psychology?
Ans. The major influences on industrial Psychology
Classical Approach
Scientific Management Approach
Human RelationApproach
Classical Approach: This approach was introduced by Fayol,
who gave fourteen principles of Management. These are:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Division of work
Authority and responsibility
Discipline
Unity of Command
(v) Unity of Direction
(vi) Subordination of individual interest to general interest
(vii) Remuneration
(viii)Centralization
(ix) Scalar chain
(x) Order
(xi) Equity
(xii) Stability
(xiii)Initiative
(xiv) Union is strength
Scientific management: Taylor regarded as father of scientific
management. To manage the work scientifically or
systematically is known as scientific management. Principles of
scientific management are
Relation between
manager and worker
Mental revolution
Equal distribution of work
Scientific working method
Selection criteria of workers
Human Relation Approach: This approach provide the
importance of human element in organization. Elton Mayo
introduced this approach and conducted Hawthorne Experiment.
This experiment revealed the importance of social and
psychological factors in determining employee’s productivity
and satisfaction.
Q.5. Define Scientific Management.
Ans. According to Drucker “The core of scientific
management is the organized study of work, the analysis of
work into its simplest elements and the systematic improvement
of the worker’s performance of each element.”The application
of the principles of the scientific method to managing a business
industry is known as scientific management.
Q.6. What are the principles of scientific management?
Ans. Principles of scientific management are
Relation between manager and worker
Mental revolution
Equal distribution of
work
Scientific working
method
Selection criteria of
workers
Q.7. What is Time study?
OrWhat is the approach adopted by Taylor in studying
the Psychology of Employees.
Ans. The approach adopted by Taylor in studying the
Psychology of employees is scientific management approach.
Time study is one of the element of scientific management
approach.
Meaning : Meaning of time study is determination of time for a
job.
Purpose : Increasing the productivity in less time . Time study
also known as work measurement.
Experiment: On Loading of pig iron slab, By using rule of
thumb method loading is 12.5 tonnes per day.
By using scientific method loading becomes 47.5
tonnes per day.
Q. 8. What is Motion Study?
Ans. Motion study introduced by GilbrethMeaning: It is a
scientific way of determining the best method of doing a work.
Another name of this study is work improvement.
Purpose : To increase productivity by less movement.
Experiment: On bricklaying. Gilbreth studied and analyzed the
motions of bricklayers and was successful in reducing the
number of motions of bricklayers from 18 to 5. Gilbreth
introduced the concept of THERBLIG. He gave 18 basic
motions.
Q.9. What is mental revolution?
OrWhat is the basic idea behind the principles of
scientific management?
Ans.
The basic idea behind the principles of scientific
management is to alter or change the mental attitudes of the
workers and the management is known as mental revolution.
There are three aspects of mental revolution:
(a) All efforts for increases in production.
(b) Spirit of mutual trust and confidence.
(c) Developing the scientific attitude towards problems.
There should be proper division of work between the
managers and the workers. Manager should perform the
planning function; there should be no partiality in the
distribution of work. The workers should also change their
attitude towards the management. Taylor creates a mental
revolution on the part of management and workers. Taylor laid
emphasis on these principles and the success of these principles
depends on mental revolution of management and worker.
Q.10. What is Therblig?
Ans.One of the most significant contributions of
Gilbreth was the method of breaking down the task
into basic elements of notions which has been now
widely practiced as TherbligSystem (reversal of
Gilbreth or “Gilbreth” spelled backwards, with a slight
variation), a classification scheme comprising 18 basic hand
motions. Gilbreth showed the importance of the total working
environment by reducing unnecessary motions.
The following table lists the Therbligs, along with their mnemonic
symbols
Therblig Symbol/Icon
Therblig
Search
Use
Find
Disassemble
Select
Inspect
Grasp
Pre-Position
*Hold
Release Load
Transport
Loaded
Transport
Empty
Unavoidable
Delay
Avoidable
Delay
Position
Plan
Assemble
Rest for
overcoming
fatigue
Symbol/Icon
Q.11. What is Functional Foremanship?
Ans. .Taylor developed the concept of functional foremanship. The
basic theme of scientific management is to replace the traditional
line organization. According to Taylor one Foreman cannot manage
all aspects of work. Taylor advised the substitution of line
organization structure by functional foremanship at the lower of the
organization structure.
Factory
Manager
Planning
Incharge
Instruction
Clerk
Time Clerk
Discipline
Clerk
Production
Incharge
Route
Clerk
Speed Boss
Gang Boss
Repair
Boss
Inspector
Workers
Q.12 Difference between time study (work measurement) and
motion study (work improvement).
Ans. The difference between these two are as follows:
(i) On the basis of Meaning : Time study involves careful
measurement of time required to do the job, whereas,
motion study involves the recording and analyzing the
movements of workers.
(ii) On the basis of Nature: Time study is concerned with
increasing the productivity in less time, whereas motion
study is concerned with minimization of movements of
workers.
(iii) On the basis of Purpose: The purpose of time study is to
determine the time for work, while the purpose of motion
study is to determine the best way of doing a job.
(iv) On the basis of Devise: Time study is a useful devise of
work measurement, while, motion study is a devise of work
improvement.
Q.13. Contribution of scientific management.
Ans: (i) Job Standardization(ii)
(iii)Increase Production
(iv) Adequate rest breaks
Criteria
Precision
of
training
(v) Importance of Selection
Q.14. What are the elements of scientific management.
Ans. The main elements of the Scientific Management are as
follows:
[1] Time study and Motion study.
[2]Standardization of work.
[3] Planning of work.
[4] Task allocation
[5] Rest Breaks
[6] Functional foremanship.
Q.15. Explain factors responsible for the growth of Human
relation.
Ans. The factors responsible for the growth of human relations are
as follows:
(i)
Classical writers (e.g., Taylor and Weber) ignored the
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
human element in organizations and concentrated on the
technical aspect.
The traditional managers considered workers as merely a
factor of production.
The needs and aspirations of the workers were ignored by
the classical writers.
It was thought that workers could be motivated by monetary
rewards only.
Informal relations at the place of work were generally not
liked by the managers
Q.16. What are the elements of Human relation
approach?
Ans: The elements of human relations are as follows:
(i) Commonness of Goal. The industrialists and workers
must have only one goal about national interest. If the national
interest in relation to production is uppermost in their thinking,
there will be commonness of goal with them.
(ii) Co-operation. Lack of Co-operation in the administration of
factories creates a complex situation which may result in strikes,
lock-up quarrels, gherao (harassing by surrounding by a number of
persons) and other types of tension.
(iii) Administration. The manager of an industry occupies an
important position in the administration of the factory.
(v) Proper Reward.
Q17) Summarize the Hawthorne experiment.
Ans: Hawthorne study measured the impact of different working
conditions (such as levels of lighting, payment systems and hours
of work) on output. The Hawthorne study were comprised of
following major parts :
(i) Experiment on Illumination;
(ii) Relay assembly test-room study;
(iii) Bank wiring observation room study;
(iv) Mass Interviewing Program;
(v) Personnel Counseling.
Conclusions
Four general conclusions were drawn from the Hawthorne
studies:
1. The aptitudes of individuals (as measured by industrial
psychologists) are imperfect predictors of job performance.
2. Informal organization affects productivity. Although previous
students of industry had looked upon workers either as isolated
individuals or as an undifferentiated mass organized according to
the formal chart of hierarchical positions and responsibilities
established by management, the Hawthorne researchers discovered
a group life among the workers.
3. Work-group norms affect productivity. The Hawthorne
researchers were not the first to recognize that work groups tend to
arrive at norms for what is “a fair day’s work,” restricting their
production below that point even when they are physically able to
exceed the norm and would be financially rewarded for it.
4. The workplace is a social system. The Hawthorne researchers
came to view the workplace as a social system made up of
interdependent parts.
Q 18. What are the implications of Hawthorne experiment.
Ans. Implications of the Hawthorne Studies
(i) Focus on human relations.
(ii) Attitudes of an Employee. In the relay room, production
continually increased throughout the test period and relay
assemblers were positive
(iii)Boost worker productivity. The study sought to identify
those aspects of a job that were most likely to boost worker
productivity.
(iv) Importance to group. The Bank wiring observation room
experiments led to the observation that Group acceptance
appeared to be more important to the worker than money.
(v) Communication:
(vi) Informal Leadership: There is an emergence of informal
leadership, which sets and enforces group norms.
Q19. Explain the difference between scientific management
approach and human relation approach
Ans: Difference between scientific management approach and
human relation approach
The difference between scientific management approach and
human relation approach is as follow:
(i) In scientific management approach emphasis is given on
systematic method whereas in human relation approach
emphasis is given on human relation method.
(ii) Scientific management focused on the study of the
productivity problems or requirement of job in industry,
whereas, human relation approach focused on the study of
individual and worker’s social need.
(iii)The base of scientific method is time and motion study, but
the bas of human relation approach is Hawthorne
Experiment.
(iv) In scientific management approach importance is given to
scientific working method, selection criteria and mental
revolution, whereas in human relation approach importance
is given to job satisfaction, motivation, employee morale
and social reward.
(v) Scientific
management
approach
concentrated
on
improvements in productivity and efficiency, but human
relation approach concentrated on improvements in
interpersonal relations and human relations in industry.
Q.20. What is the relevance of Relay room experiment in
Hawthorne Experiments?
Ans. The second phase of Hawthorne Experiment was made in a
study of relay assemblers at the Hawthorne plant.
Purpose. To study the effect of fatigue on productivity.
Method. The Relay assembly room experiments were conducted
by a team of Harvard Business School. These are considered to be
the actual beginning of the Hawthorne Studies since the
Illumination Studies failed to come out with any conclusion. A
group of women were selected for study who had been assembling
relays so long that their production was no longer improving with
practice. Various changes like change in the number of hours in a
work week, number of hours in a work day, number of breaks, free
social interaction among group members or freedom to form
informal groups, friendly and informal supervision.
Findings. The findings took the researchers by surprise, since
irrespective of the changes made, there was an overall increase in
productivity. This became known as the “Hawthorne Effect”. They
realized that since the subjects’ were given a great deal of freedom,
they had formed an informal group. The researchers thus
discovered the concept of informal organization. They found that
workplaces were social environments and that there were factors
other than just economic self-interest. An important conclusion
drawn was that every aspect of an industrial work environment had
a social value.
The relevance of this experiment is that in this phase Hawthorne
effect has been introduced.