Industrial/Organizational Psychology
1. Hugo Munsterberg – “Father” of Industrial
Psychology
In 1911, cautioned managers to be
concerned with “all the questions of the
mind … “
First to encourage government funded
research in industrial psych.
In 1913, published Psychology and
Industrial Efficiency
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Persons need to fit organizations
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Behavioral science can help organizations shape
better-fitting employees
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New employees can serve as “replacement
parts” for the organizational machine
2.
Frederick W. Taylor – First “Efficiency Expert”
Argued for redesign of workplace to achieve
higher productivity
Conducted first time and motion studies of
worker behavior
In 1911, published The Principles of Scientific
Management
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Work methods should be designed
scientifically to maximize efficiency
The best workers should be selected,
then trained in the best work methods
Showed iron workers more productive if
given rest periods:
*Productivity increased almost 4-fold
*Production cost dropped by more than
50%
1.
2.
Inhumane exploitation of workers to
increase profits
Increased unemployment because fewer
workers needed to do same amount of work
First World War Ends Complaints!
3.
Robert Yerkes – “Father” of group testing
In 1917, proposed ways of screening
army
recruits for mental deficiency and
assigning
to specific army jobs
Created Army Alpha and Army Beta
penciland-paper intelligence tests
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1917 – Journal of Applied Psychology first
published
1921 – James McKeen Cattell founds The
Psychological Corporation to promote
usefulness of psychology to industry
1924 – Hawthorne Studies conducted to
identify factors increasing productivity
1933 – Elton Mayo demonstrates
importance of employee attitudes and
employer sensitivity
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1932 – Morris Viteles publishes Industrial
Psychology, first use of that phrase in print
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1939 – Kurt Lewin publishes first empirical
study of effects of leadership style
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1941-1945 – I/O psychologists help army
develop General Classification Test for
draftees
OSS (precursor to CIA) develops stress and
other assessment tests for candidates to be
agents
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1945 – Kurt Lewin forms Research Center
for Group Dynamics at MIT (later moved to
U. of Michigan)
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1946 – I/O psychologists form Division 14
of APA
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1950’s – Skinner initiates discussion of
behaviorism applied to the workplace
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1960’s – David McClelland (and others)
propose various theories of achievement
motivation
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1970’s – Skinner (in Beyond Freedom and
Dignity) advocates b. mod. strategies to
motivate persons in organizations
Porter and Lawler propose expectancy
model of motivation in the workplace
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1980’s to present – Explosion of I/O
research and application
“The general practice specialty of
professional psychology with a
focus on scientifically based
solutions to human problems in
work and other organizational
settings.”
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Core undergraduate education in
1.
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7.
Biological bases of behavior
Cognitive-affective bases of behavior
Social bases of behavior
Individual differences
Research methods
Psychological/behavioral measurement
Statistical methods
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Advanced (graduate) education in
1. Ethical/legal issues in the practice of I/O psychology
2. Consulting and business skills
3. Attitude theory
4. Career development
5. Consumer behavior
6. Health/stress effects on individuals in organizations
7. Human factors and performance (a la Taylor)
8. Individual/group/organizational assessment methods
9. Job/task analysis
10. Job evaluation
11. Work motivation and compensation
12. Leadership and management theory
13. Organizational theory
14. Training theory and program design/evaluation
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Job/task analyses
Development/validation of organizational
policies/procedures
Analyses of employee morale, job
satisfaction, and organizational
environment
Leadership and team development
Management consultation and coaching
Human resource planning and policy
analyses
Expert testimony in employer/employee
disputes, such as sexual harassment cases