All You Need To Know About Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Industrial and organizational psychology goes by so many names such as work psychology, organizational psychology, occupational psychology, among others. It involves the study of psychology as applied to organizations and the workplace. The field of industrial and organizational psychology has significant contributions to the improvement and well-being of an organization. The work of an industrial and organizational psychologist involves researching and identifying how the behavior and attitudes of employees can be enhanced through hiring practices, training programs, and feedback systems.
According to Guion, industrial and organizational psychology is the scientific study of the relationship between man and their workplace. For Blum and Naylor, I-O psychology is the application or extension of psychological facts and principles to the problems related to human beings functioning within the sector of business and industry.
Historically speaking, industrial and organizational psychology has assumed two broad fields of study, it is highly artificial and various topics cut across both areas. This field of psychology has its background in social psychology. Industrial and organizational psychologists make am examination of the role of work environment in performance and other results such as job satisfaction and health. Among the areas researched and practiced by industrial and organizational psychologists include job performance, job analysis, personnel recruitment and selection, appraisal/management, among others.
Industrial and organizational psychologists have undergone training for the scientist-practitioner model. It allows the I-O psychologist to use scientific principles and research-based design to acquire knowledge. They use their knowledge in applied settings in order to help their clients resolve workplace needs. They also work as professors, researchers, and consultants. They work in the human resource department of organizations where they are charged with hiring and organizational development initiatives from an evidence-based perspective.
The industrial aspect of I-O psychology traces its history from research on individual differences, assessment, and performance prediction. It was crystallized during the First World War as a response to the growing need for rapid assignment of troops to duty starions. Post-war United States and the growth of industries further emphasized I-O psychology.
In 1919, Walter Dill Scott, who served as President of the American Psychological Association during that time, became the most popular I-O psychologist of that time. Other influential persons in the development of industrial and organizational psychology include James McKeen Cattell and Hugo Munsterberg, who became APA President in 1895 and 1898, respectively.
On the other hand, organizational psychology gained recognition after the Second World War through the influence of the Hawthorne Studies and the research works of Kurt Lewin and Muzafer Sherif.
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