CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL AND
ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY?
Learning Objectives
Module 1.1
Explain the importance of work in people’s lives.
Explain how I-O psychology contributes to society.
Explain how this course can be helpful in providing knowledge about the 21st Century workplace.
Module 1.2
Describe the early history of I-O psychology in terms of major events and people.
Describe the major challenges to I-O psychology in the 21st Century.
Explain how to prepare for a career in I-O psychology.
Explain the steps needed to improve one’s chances of getting accepted into an I-O psychology graduate program.
Module 1.3
Explain the meaning and significance of multiculturalism in the workplace.
Understand the influence of culture on work behavior.
Module 1.4
Describe the paper and electronic resources available to those interested in I-O psychology.
Chapter Outline
Module 1.1 The Importance of I-O Psychology
The Importance of Work in People’s Lives
The Concept of “Good Work”
Authenticity: A Trend of Interest to I-O Psychologists
How Does I-O Psychology Contribute to Society?
What Is I-O Psychology?
SIOP as a Resource
How This Course Can Help You
The Importance of Understanding the Younger Worker
Module 1.2 The Past, Present, and Future of I-O Psychology
The Past: A Brief History of I-O Psychology
1876–1930
1930–1964
The Present: The Demographics of I-O Psychologists
Pathways to a Career in I-O Psychology: A Curious Mixture
What We Call Ourselves
The Future: The Challenges to I-O Psychology in the 21st Century
A Personal View of the Future: Preparing for a Career in I-O Psychology
Education and Training
Getting into a Graduate Program
Module 1.3 Multicultural and Cross-Cultural Issues in I-O Psychology
The Multicultural Nature of Life in the 21st Century
Cross-National Issues at the Workplace
Why Should Multiculturalism Be Important to You?
Why Is Multiculturalism Important for I-O Psychology?
Some Theories of Cultural Influence
Hofstede’s Theory
Some Thoughts on Theories of Cultural Influence
Module 1.4 The Organization of This Book
Themes
Parts
Resources
Glossary Terms for Chapter 1 – What is Industrial and Organizational Psychology?
This list of key terms and important concepts from Chapter 1 can be used in conjunction with reviewing the material in the textbook. After reviewing Chapter 1 in the textbook, define each of the following key terms and important concepts fully. Check your answers with the textbook, and review terms with which you have difficulty. Good luck!
Module 1.1
industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
personnel psychology
Human Resources Management (HRM)
organizational psychology
human engineering or human factors psychology
scientist-practitioner model
TIP (The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist)
welfare-to-work program
telecommuting
virtual team
Module 1.2
Stanford-Binet test
Scientific Management
time and motion studies
revery obsession
Hawthorne studies
Human Relations Movement
Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964
American Psychological Association (APA)
Module 1.3
culture
expatriates
"West versus the Rest” mentality
collectivist culture
individualist culture
individualism/collectivism
power distance
uncertainty avoidance
masculinity/femininity
long-term versus short-term orientation
horizontal culture
vertical culture
Module 1.4
No glossary terms in this module
Practice Questions for Chapter 1
Multiple Choice Items: Please choose the correct answer to the following questions.
Which of the following is not one of the three major concentrations of I-O psychology?
a. personnel psychology
b. industrial technology
c. human engineering
d. organizational psychology
Motivation, stress, leadership, and teamwork are addressed by:
a. personnel psychology
b. industrial technology
c. human engineering
d. organizational psychology
The Hawthorne studies were used to examine the effects of:
a. revery obsession
b. mass group testing
c. manipulating workplace lighting
d. time and motion
I-O psychology is defined as:
a. the influence of an individual’s personality on work and non-work behaviors.
b. the application of psychological principles, theory, and research to the work setting.
c. the concept of contextual work and organizational citizenship behavior.
d. the study of ways to maximize productivity .
All of the following studies examined productivity in the workplace except:
a. time and motion
b. revery obsession
c. Hawthorne studies
d. Stanford-Binet
When individuals from different geographic locations work together, it is known as:
a. telecommuting
b. virtual teams
c. digitization
d. welfare-to-work
7. An expatriate is:
a. the distribution of emotional roles between genders
b. a manager or professional assigned to work abroad
c. a culture that minimizes distances between individuals
d. a culture that depends on the distances between individuals
Which of the following countries has a collectivist culture?
a. United States
b. German
c. Japan
d. France
Which of the following is not one of the dimensions in Hofstede’s theory of culture?
a. power distance
b. uncertainty avoidance
c. conscientiousness
d. masculinity/femininity
The “West versus the Rest” mentality refers to the:
a. degree to which individuals are expected to look after themselves versus the group.
b. degree to which members of a culture feel comfortable in unpredictable situations.
c. extent of immediate versus delayed gratification of members of a culture.
d. tendency to apply American theories to non-American situations.
Exercises for Chapter 1
Exercise 1-1. When Elton Mayo arrived in the United States, he observed that factory work was difficult and boring. As a result, he believed that the nature of this work caused restlessness among employees and a resistance to do what managers wanted them to do. Much modern factory work has been automated, greatly reducing physical strain and fatigue. Has this eliminated the restlessness and resistance of factory workers? Explain why or why not.
Exercise 1-2. At the outset of World War II, applied psychologists standardized the inside of airplanes, drastically reducing accidents and increasing efficiency. Describe 3 things in your everyday environment that could be standardized in order to increase safety and/or efficiency.
Exercise 1-3. Consider the graph that appears in your textbook in Figure 1.3, which compares and contrasts various countries in terms of culture. Examine the curve that describes Japan. Assume that an American Company will open a plant in Japan and plans to have supervisors be sympathetic and nurturing to employees. What does Hofstede’s theory of culture say about the probable success or failure of that plan? Justify your answer.
Exercise 1-4. In 2 files that are included on the website (Masters_Programs.doc; Doctoral_Programs.doc) are separate lists of Masters and PhD programs in I-O psychology. If you are interested in pursuing a career in I-O psychology, it is recommended that you first spend some time examining the various graduate programs available and then spend some time on the websites of those programs. Identify 3-5 programs that you are interested in and describe why those programs fit your research and career interests below. Next, you might request further information about the program -- this is usually most easily done via the e-mail address that can be found on the program’s website.
Exercise 1-5: Identify current changes and events in society or the workplace and predict challenges to industrial-organizational psychology that will result from these changes and events. You can think in terms of important changes or events in society as well as demographic shifts in society and in organizations.
Answer Key for Multiple Choice Questions for Chapter 1
1. b
2. d
3. c
4. b
5. d
6. b
7. b
8. c
9. c
10. d