Industrial-Organizational Psychology Quiz

Industrial Psychology Overview

• Industrial psychology is a subfield of psychology focused on the study and application of psychological principles, theories, and methods in work settings.
• It has various names depending on its application and study area.
• The field aims to understand human behavior in the workplace, create a better work environment, and improve individual worker performance, satisfaction, and well-being.

Course Objectives

• Students will learn the reasoning behind applying psychology to the workplace.
• Students will develop strategies for studying human behavior in workplaces using psychological principles, theories, and methods.
• Students will gain knowledge of key areas in I-O (Industrial-Organizational) psychology.

Introduction to I-O Psychology

• The scope of I-O psychology includes: overview, history, scope, and definitions.
• Reasons for studying I-O psychology.
• Opportunities and challenges in the field of I-O psychology.
• The mandate of I-O psychology, compared to human resources management (HRM).
• Key sub-fields of I-O psychology, including the "I" (industrial) and "O" (organizational) aspects.
• Relevance to humanitarian work psychology.

Predicting Performance: Recruitment, Selection & Placement

• Predicting job performance is crucial for various reasons.
• Validating selection tools and processes is also important.
• Understanding what selection tools are appropriate to use.

Job Analysis

• Understanding the background of job analysis
• Purposes for conducting job analysis
• Methods of gathering data for a job analysis

Human Resource Training & Development

• Understanding the need for employee training in organizations.
• Pre-training (assessing training needs)
• Different types of training forms and methods
• Transfer of training (how learning transfers to the workplace)
• Post-training evaluation of training programmes

Performance Management & Appraisal

• Definition and difference between performance management and appraisal.
• The benefits and use of performance appraisals.
• Methods and procedures for performance appraisal.
• Common errors in judgment and rating.
• Rater training and motivation.
• Feedback of appraisal information to employees

Reading List

• Key texts and articles will be crucial for this course.
• Including several current texts and articles.

Course Requirements & Assessment

• Details for course registration
• Guidelines for lectures and participation
• Importance of reading material
• Details for mid-semester exam
• Details for end-of-semester exam
• Guidance on practical visits

Definitions

• I-O Psychology as a course of study—the scientific study of work and workers, both inside and outside formal organizational settings.
• Examples include: organizational settings, entrepreneurs, corporations, NGOs, etc.
• Other definitions of I-O psychology
• Describing I-O psychology as a practice.

Other Definitions & Further Considerations

• Specific areas of concern for I-O psychology
• The "I" side and "O" side of I-O psychology (the industrial and organizational side respectively, with their sub-components)

History of I/O

• Origin date of the field
• Important milestones (WWI testing, Hawthorne studies, WWII contribution, and civil rights movement)
• Specific areas of focus within certain historic periods
• The importance of historical perspectives

Leading Historical Figures

• Key figures in the history of I-O psychology, including their major contributions.

Opportunities/Challenges for I-O Field

• Current and emerging areas relevant in the I-O field.
• Factors to consider when operating in this industry.

Why Study I-O Psychology?

• Overview of psychology, the scientific study of human behavior.
• Definition of I-O psychology at work
• Dual focus (efficiency/productivity of organizations plus employee health/well-being).
• Describing the dual nature: applying psychology to the workplace, and developing and testing psychological principles in the workplace.

I-O and HRM (Human Resources Management)

• Describing the interrelationships and overlaps between I-O and HRM.
• Comparing the mandates of I-O psychology and HRM.
• The dynamic relationship and importance of I-O to HRM.

I-O's Mandate

• How the changing workforce influences I-O psychology
• The changing roles of men and women in the job market
• Impact of dual income couples in their workforce requirements.
• Emerging and significant trends to note in the workforce and in business.

I-O Psychology vs HRM

• Highlighting the differences between the roles and responsibilities of I-O psychologists and HRM managers.

Current Issues in I-O Psychology

• Consideration of emerging topics (leadership, talent management, change management, culture, compensation, etc.)
• Issues related to work-life, retirement, telework, cross-cultural aspects, diversity, globalization, humanitarian work, etc

Humanitarian Work Psychology

• How I-O psychology has traditionally focused on organisational effectiveness and employee well-being.
• The emergence of prosocial considerations
• Key areas of application

Topics/Subfields of I-O Psychology

• Subfields/topics within the I/O field, such as selection and placement, occupational health and safety, consumer behavior, training and development, and counterproductive work behavior.

Predicting Performance (Recruitment, Selection, Placement)

• Describing the roles of various people.
• Role played by HR specialists and I-O psychologists.
• Specific components (recruitment processes and personnel selection systems).

Recruitment and Selection

• Recruitment process overview: identifying and attracting candidates
• Describing internal recruitment vs. external recruitment methods.
• Advantages and disadvantages of each method with related factors to consider
• Different sourcing channels to utilise

Selection

• The process of systematically hiring and promoting personnel
• Selection process considerations for determining a good match
• Process used for employing personnel in the field
• Key principles for selection considerations (individual differences, predictor validity of evaluation criteria).

Selection Principles:

• Explaining the critical roles of individual differences (e.g., abilities, traits and behaviour)
• Prediction of performance in a work setting.

Consideration in the choice of selection techniques.

• Reasons for selecting evaluation criteria

Basic Testing Concepts: Validity

• Explaining test validity (how well a test measures what it is intended to measure)
• Explaining criterion validity (comparing testing scores to job performance)
• Describing content validity (if the test adequately samples the necessary job-related tasks and skills).

Basic Testing Concepts: Reliability

• Explaining test reliability (how consistently a test measures something under varying conditions)
• Explaining types of reliability
• What constitutes measurement error

Predictor and Criterion

• What constitutes a predictor
• Defining predictor scores
• What criteria are employed for evaluation
• Defining a criterion

Validation of Selection Instrument

• The process for validating criteria used for selection of personnel.
• Establishing relationships between predictor and criterion variables

Selection Ratio and Base Rate

• Describing what selection ratios are used to evaluate personnel selection
• Describing what base rates are used for evaluation criteria

Placement

• How placement considerations are relevant.
• Explaining the purpose of placement and how it is used in work settings.

Personnel Selection Methods

• Several selection methods, from interviews to psychometric tests and work samples, along with their strengths and weaknesses and when they are most appropriate to use.

Assessment Centers

• Description of an assessment centre – assessment types
• Different assessment components, along with their strengths and weaknesses

Work Samples

• Defining and describing what work samples entail as a component of employee selection.

Situational Judgement Tests

• Describing what situational judgment tests are used for – evaluation components

Choice of Selection Methods

• Considerations for selecting testing procedures
• Factors to consider when evaluating testing procedures for selection

Recruitment, Selection, and Placement—Summary

• High-level summary of the steps in recruitment, selection and placement processes.
• Crucial steps to follow within an organizational setting
• Legally defensible processes

Other Topics (Additional)

• Lectures 1&2, Lectures 3, 4, 5 & 6, Lectures 7-11 (all relevant content concerning the subject)