Abstract
Industrial and organizational psychology has been the topic of discussion for many researchers and psychologists and it has been seen that this is the main aspect that has a strong effect on the outcome of an organization in relation to efficiency and product quality. It has been seen that the working efficiency of the employees and the higher authorities within an organization are the factors that are studied in this psychological theory.
Introduction
Industrial and organizational psychology has been known as I-O psychology, Work Psychology, work, and organizational psychology, talent assessment as well as personal psychology. This is the aspect of psychology that has been applied in organizations and workplaces (Koppes, 2007, p. 32). This is the kind of psychology that has been defined in terms of the relationship that exists between a man and his work within an organization. In other words, it has been referred to as an extension of the psychological facts to the problems that are being faced by the individuals when they are engaged in the businesses as well as the organizations to make a living. Psychologists in this case examine the role that is being played by the work in an organization in making the necessary changes in an organization along with the employee’s life including the health and job satisfaction of an employee (Schein, 2004, p. 21).
It can be noticed that industrial and organizational psychology has two main parts, one part deals with the industrial aspect of the work and the other has its roots in the studies within an organization. The industrial part deals with an assessment of the individual differences and the performance prediction of the individuals. This is the branch that started to emerge after First World War. Organizational psychology gained its importance after the Second World War as this was the result of studies conducted by Hawthorne. Since the start of industrial and organizational psychology, it has been seen that its implementation has an important effect on an overall outcome of an organization (Silvester, 2008, p. 48).
I-O psychologists are the ones who have been trained to use the scientist-practitioner model as an organizational research method that is to be managed in an analytical manner. I-O psychologists use research methods like surveys, experiments, observational studies, and quasii experiments in order to conduct the research to find out the implementation of the psychological aspects within an organization. Diverse sources of data are used by these researchers as human judgments, historical databases, and measurements of work performances (Spector, 2003, p. 52).
In this case, quantitative and qualitative research methods are being used by the I-O researchers. Descriptive statistics is the method being used in the quantitative methods by the I-O psychologists. Inferential statistics including multiple regression, analysis of variance and correlation, some advanced statistical techniques as the multivariate analysis of variance, logistic regression, structural equation of modeling, and hierarchical linear modeling are being used by scientists (Silvester, 2008, p. 27). It has been seen that by using these research and statistical methods, the scientists can analyze, in a deeper manner, the important psychological aspects which are being applied in an organization in relation to the job satisfaction of the employee that has been related to the outcomes that are seen on the portfolio of an organization (Schein, 2004, p. 32).
Conclusion
I-O psychology is a class of psychology that has been applied in organizations and industries in the past years and its importance has been realized in an analytical manner in the modern days. It has been used by the I-O psychologists in organizations in order to calculate the level of job satisfaction in the employees that can have an effect on the organization and its outcomes.
References
Koppes, L. Laura. (2007). Historical perspectives in industrial and organizational psychology: Series in applied psychology. Routledge.
Schein, H. Edgar. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership: The Jossey-Bass business & management series: Jossey-Bass social and behavioral science series: Volume 1 of J-B US non-Franchise Leadership. 3rd Edition. John Wiley and Sons.
Silvester, Jo. (2008). Organizational Psychology: Critical concepts in psychology: Volume 3 of Organizational Psychology: Critical Concepts in Psychology. Volume 3 of Organizational psychology. Routledge.
Spector, E. Paul. (2003). Industrial and organizational psychology: research and practice. 3rd Edition. J. Wiley & Sons.