Psychology Exam 4

industrial organizational (I-O) psychology

a branch of psychology that studies how human behavior and psychology affect work and how they’re affected by work

industrial psychology

studies job characteristics, applicant characteristics, and how to match them; it also studies employee training and performance appraisal

organizational psychology

studies interactions between people working in organizations and the effects of those interactions on productivity

human factors psychology

studies how workers interact with the tools of work, and how to design those tools to optimize workers’ productivity, safety, and health

Hawthorne effect

increase in performance of individuals who are noticed, watched, and paid attention to by researchers or supervisors

job analysis

consists of accurately describing a task or job

tests, work samples, exercises, and interviews

What are the typical means by which job candidates are evaluated?

cutoff score

a score below which a candidate will not move forward

structured interviews

What type of interview is a better predictor of job performance?

mentoring

consists of an experienced employee guiding the work of a new employee

women

For whom is mentoring especially beneficial?

performance appraisal

an evaluation of an employee’s success or lack of success at performing the duties of the job

360-degree feedback appraisal

includes rating from supervisors, customers, peers, employers, and the employee

equal employment opportunity commission (EEOC)

responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or employee

immutable characteristics

traits of an individual that are fundamental to their identity

americans with disabilities act (ADA)

states people may not be discriminated against due to the nature of their disability

disability

a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more major life activities such as hearing, walking, and breathing

alcoholism, former drug use, obesity, and psychiatric disabilities

What disabilities have recently been included in the ADA?

bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQs)

requirements of certain occupations for which denying an individual employment would otherwise violate the law

1. Would most women be unable to perform the job?
2. Would hiring the other sex undermine business operations?
3. Is the employer unable to make alternative accommodations?

What are the three tests to determine whether a sex-related BROQ exists?

job satisfaction

describes the degree to which individuals enjoy their jobs

job stress

caused by specific stressors in an occupation

work-family balance

consists of juggling the demands of work life with the demands of family life

1. time devoted to work/family
2. Strain from work/family
3. Specific behaviors required by work/family

three sources of work-family conflicts

theory x approach to management

managers assume most people dislike work and are not innately self-directed

theory y approach to management

managers assume that most people seek inner satisfaction and fulfillment from their work

transactional leaders

focus on supervision and organizational goals, which are achieved through a system of rewards and punishments

transformational leaders

charismatic, inspirational, intellectually stimulating, and considerate leaders

work team

group of people within an organization or company given a specific task to achieve together

organizational culture

encompasses the values, visions, hierarchies, norms, and interactions among its employees

* observable artifacts
* espoused values
* basic assumptions

three layers in organizational culture

diversity training

educates participants about cultural differences with the goal of improving teamwork

sexual harassment

sexually-based behavior that is knowingly unwanted

* quid pro quo
* making rewards contingent on sexual favors
* hostile work environment

three forms of sexual harassment

workplace violence

any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening, disruptive behavior that occurs at the workplace

procedural justice

fairness by which means are used to achieve results in an organization

checklist

method used to reduce workplace accidents

health psychology

the study of psychological influences on health, illness, and how people respond when they become ill

stress

a process whereby an individual perceives and responds to events appraised as overwhelming or threatening to the individual’s well-being

stressor

a demanding or threatening event

primary appraisal

the interpretation of a stimulus as stressful or not

secondary appraisal

involves determining whether you can control the stressor

eustress

stress that can be positive and motivate us to do things in our best interests

distress

bad stress, causing fatigue and exhaustion and performance declines

cortisol

stress hormone released by the adrenal glands when encountering a stressor; helps to provide a boost of energy, thereby preparing the individual to take action

traumatic events

situations in which a person is exposed to actual or threatened death or serious injury

life changes

events or situations that require us to make changes in our ongoing lives and require time as we adjust to those changes

daily hassles

the minor irritations and annoyances that are part of our everyday lives

fight-or-flight response (FFR)

a set of physiological reactions that occur when an individual encounters a perceived threat

psychophysiological disorders

physical disorders or diseases in which symptoms are brought about or worsened by stress and emotional factors

immunosuppression

decreased effectiveness of the immune system

psychoneuroimmunology

field that studies how psychological factors (such as stress) influence the immune system and immune functioning

type a behavior

characterized by hostility, impatience, time urgency, and competitiveness

type b behavior

characterized by being relaxed and laid back

transactional model of hostility

hostility and social strain form a cycle of hostile behavior

stress hormones inhibit the production of lymphocytes and triggers the release of cortisol

Why does stress make us sick?

stress can shorten telomeres which inhibits cell division, leading to more rapid aging

How does stress accelerate the aging process?

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

three-stage physiological stress response that appears regardless of the stressor encountered

1. Alarm
2. Resistance
3. Exhaustion

What are the three stages of GAS?

burnout

a general sense of emotional exhaustion and cynicism in relation to one’s job

1. Exhaustion
2. Depersonalization
3. Diminished personal accomplishment

What are the three dimensions of burnout?

defining yourself by your job and job strain

What are the two proposed causes of burnout?

job strain

a work situation that combines excessive job demands and workload with little discretion in decision making or job control

coping

any effort to control, reduce, or tolerate threats that lead to stress

problem-focused coping

involves modifying the stressful problem

emotion-focused coping

involves changing how we perceive or feel about a problem

Exercise prevents telomere shortening and boosts serotonin levels

How does exercise help us manage stress?

Humor reduces sensitivity to pain and distress and the time needed to calm down after a stressful event

How does humor help us manage stress?

perceived control

peoples’ beliefs concerning their capacity to influence and shape outcomes in their lives

relaxation response technique

stress reduction technique combining elements of relaxation and meditation

social support

aid gained through interacting with others that boost the immune system and reduces blood pressure

roseto effect

the phenomenon in which a close-knit community experiences a lower rate of heart disease

psychopathology

the manifestation of a psychological disorder

psychological disorder

a condition in which there are disturbances in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that reflect some kind of biological, psychological, or developmental dysfunction that lead to distress or disability

supernatural perspective

attributed psychopathology to forces beyond scientific understanding

biological perspective

views psychological disorders as linked to biological phenomena

psychosocial perspective

emphasizes the importance of learning, stress, faulty and self-defeating thinking patterns, and environmental factors

diathesis-stress model

says someone with a predisposition for a disorder is more likely than others to develop it when faced with adverse events

diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM)

a classification system describing disorder features and distinguishing characteristics

international classification of diseases (ICD)

a classification system that describes disorders and is also used to examine the health of populations

comorbidity

the co-occurrence of two disorders

major depressive disorder

What is the most common type of disorder?

anxiety

a feeling of apprehension or tension in response to a stressful situation

anxiety disorder

characterized by excessive and persistent fear and anxiety and related disturbances in behavior

phobia

an intense, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation

specific phobias

fear of specific objects or situations

agoraphobia

fear of public places

social anxiety disorder

characterized by fear and avoidance of social situations in which the person could be embarrassed or humiliated

safety behaviors

mental or behavioral acts that reduce the chance of negative social outcomes

panic disorder

characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks

panic attack

a sudden period of extreme fear or discomfort

generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

characterized by chronic, excessive, pointless worry and any three of these symptoms:

* Restlessness
* Fatigue
* Concentration problems
* Irritability
* Muscle tension
* Sleep disturbances

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

involves experiencing intrusive and unwanted thoughts and performing repetitive, ritualistic behaviors to fend off the thoughts

hoarding disorder

involves great difficulty in discarding possessions, regardless of how valueless/useless they are

body dysmorphic disorder

involves excessive preoccupation with an imagined defect in physical appearance

posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

characterized by:

* distressing memories of the traumatic event
* Flashbacks
* Avoiding stimuli associated with the event
* Negative emotions
* Detachment from others
* Irritability
* Jumpiness
* A diagnosis

flashbacks

reliving the event and behaving as if it’s actually happening

the severity of the trauma

What is the risk factor for PTSD?

mood disorders

characterized by severe disturbances in mood and emotions

major depressive disorder

involves having a depressed mood and loss of interest and pleasure in usual activities and at least three or four of the following symptoms:

* appetite disturbance
* sleep disturbance
* psychomotor agitation/retardation
* lethargy
* worthlessness
* difficulty concentrating
* suicidal ideation