Key Concepts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology D576

autonomy

the need from self-determination theory to decide what we want to do and how we are going to do it

basic biological needs

the first step in Maslow's needs hierarchy, concerning survival needs for food, air, water, and the like

chronic self-esteem

the positive or negative way in which a person views themselves as a whole

competency

the need from self-determination theory to be able to successfully perform the tasks that are important to us

consistency theory

Korman's theory that employees will be motivated to perform at levels consistent with their levels of self-esteem

drive to acquire

an individual's drive to seek, take, control, and retain objects and personal experiences that humans value

drive to bond

an individual's drive to form social relationships and develop mutual caring commitments with other humans

drive to defend

an individual's drive to defend themselves and their valued accomplishments whenever they perceive them to be endangered

drive to learn

an individual's drive to satisfy curiosity, to know, to comprehend, to appreciate, to develop understandings or representations of their environment and of themselves through a reflective process

ego needs

the fourth step in Maslow's hierarchy, concerning the individual's need for recognition and success

employee resource group

a group of employees with similar interests, experiences, or demographics who meet to discuss those experiences

ERG theory

Aldefer's needs theory describes three levels of satisfaction: existence, relatedness, and growth

extrinsic motivation

work motivation that arises from such nonpersonal factors as pay, coworkers, and opportunities for advancement

Galatea effect

when high self-expectations result in higher levels of performance

Golem effect

when negative expectations of an individual cause a decrease in that individual's performance

hierarchy

a system arranged by rank

hygiene factors

in Herzberg's two-factor theory, job-related elements that result from but do not involve the job itself

intrinsic motivation

work motivation in the absence of such external factors as pay, promotion, and coworkers

job characteristics theory

the theory proposed by Hackman and Oldham suggesting that certain characteristics of a job will make the job more or less satisfying, depending on the particular needs of the worker

motivators

in Herzberg's two-factor theory, elements of a job concern the actual duties performed by the employee

need for achievement

according to trait theory, the extent to which a person desires to be successful

need for affiliation

the extent to which a person desires to be around other people

need for power

according to trait theory, the extent to which a person desires to be in control of other people

needs theory

a theory based on the idea that employees will be satisfied with jobs that satisfy their needs

organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)

a behavior that is not part of an employee's job but that makes the organization a better place to work (e.g., helping others, staying late)

organization-based self-esteem

the level of an employee's competence and self-worth as a member of an organization

Pygmalion effect

the idea that if people believe that something is true, they will act in a manner consistent with that belief

relatedness

from self-determination theory, the need to feel that we are part of a group

safety needs

the second step in Maslow's hierarchy, concerning the need for security, stability, and physical safety

self-actualization needs

the fifth step in Maslow's hierarchy, concerning the need to realize one's potential

self-determination theory

a theory that postulates that people have an innate need for three things: competence, autonomy, and relatedness

self-esteem

the extent to which a person views themselves as a valuable and worthy individual

self-fulfilling prophecy

the idea that people behave in ways consistent with their self-image

self-regulation

postulates that employees can be motivated by monitoring their own progress toward the goals they set and adjusting their behavior to reach those goals

situational self-esteem

the positive or negative way in which a person views themselves in a particular situation

social needs

the third step in Maslow's hierarchy, concerning the need to interact with other people

socially influenced self-esteem

the positive or negative way in which a person views themselves based on the expectations of others

two-factor theory

Herzberg's needs theory postulates that two factors are involved in job satisfaction: hygiene factors and motivators

Work Preference Inventory (WPI)

a measure of an individual's orientation toward intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation

behavioral ethics

the study of moral decision-making

bandwidth

the total number of potential work hours available each day

casual work

a scheduling practice in which employees work on an irregular or as-needed basis

compressed workweeks

work schedules in which 40 hours are worked in less than the traditional five-day workweek

core hours

the hours in a flextime schedule during which every employee must work

flexible hours

the part of a flextime schedule in which employees may choose which hours to work

flexitour

a flextime schedule in which employees have flexibility in scheduling but must schedule their work hours at least a week in advance

flextime

a work schedule that allows employees to choose their own work hours

gliding time

a flextime schedule in which employees can choose their own hours without any advance notice or scheduling

job sharing

a work schedule in which two employees share one job by splitting the work hours

modified flexitour

flextime schedule in which employees have flexibility in scheduling but must schedule their work hours a day in advance

peak-time pay

a system in which part-time employees who work only during peak hours are paid at a higher hourly rate than all-day, full-time employees

telecommuting

working at home rather than at the office by communicating with managers and coworkers via phone, computer, fax machine, and other off-site media

Army Alpha

an intelligence test developed during World War I and used by the army for soldiers who can read

Army Beta

an intelligence test developed during World War I and used by the army for soldiers who cannot read

Hawthorne effect

when employees change their behavior due solely to the fact that they are receiving attention or are being observed

Hawthorne studies

a series of studies, conducted at the Western Electric plant in Hawthorne, Illinois, that have come to represent any change in behavior when people react to a change in the environment

human factors/ergonomics

the scientific application of theories and principles to human interactions with other organizational elements

industrial/organizational psychology

the application of science and psychological principles to the work environment

organizational psychology

the scientific study of the social aspects within an organization, including human interactions and organizational cultural norms

personnel psychology

the use of psychological principles in selecting and evaluating employees

Ammerman technique

a job analysis method in which a group of job experts identifies the objectives and standards to be met by the ideal worker

grade

a cluster of jobs of similar worth

job analysis interview

obtaining information about a job by talking to a person performing it

job analysis

the process of determining a job's worth, including the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for a job, the working conditions in which they will be performed, and the performance measures they will be evaluated on

job analyst

the person conducting the job analysis

job description

a written summary of the tasks performed in a job, the conditions under which the job is performed, and the requirements needed to perform the job

job participation

a job analysis method in which the job analyst actually performs the job being analyzed

job specifications

a relatively dated term that refers to the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform a job; competencies is the more common term used today

observations

a job analysis method in which the job analyst watches job incumbents perform their jobs

organizational structure

structure that determines the flow of communication and the positions that have decision-making power

other characteristics

such personal factors as personality, willingness, and interest that are not knowledge, skills, or abilities

Peter Principle

the idea that organizations tend to promote good employees until they reach the level at which they are not competent—in other words, their highest level of incompetence

skill

proficiency to perform a particular task

SME conference

a group job analysis interview consisting of subject-matter experts (SMEs)

subject-matter experts (SMEs)

sources such as supervisors and incumbents who are knowledgeable about a job

task analysis

the process of identifying the tasks for which employees need to be trained

task inventory

a questionnaire containing a list of tasks each of which the job incumbent rates on a series of scales such as importance and time spent

Uniform Guidelines

federal guidelines used to guide an employer in establishing fair selection methods

adverse impact

an employment practice resulting in members of a protected class being negatively affected at a higher rate than members of the majority class; adverse impact is usually determined by the four-fifths rule

affirmative action

the process of ensuring proportional representation of employees based on variables such as race and gender; affirmative-action strategies include intentional recruitment of applicants from underrepresented groups, identification and removal of employment practices working against applicants and employees from underrepresented groups, and preferential hiring and promotion of applicants and employees from underrepresented groups

arbitration

a method of resolving conflicts in which a neutral third party is asked to choose which side is correct

binding arbitration

a method of resolving conflicts in which a neutral third party is asked to choose which side is correct and in which neither party is allowed to appeal the decision

bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)

a selection requirement that is necessary for the performance of job-related duties and for which there is no substitute

four-fifths rule

when the selection ratio for one group (e.g., women) is less than 80% (four-fifths) of the selection ratio for another group (e.g., men), adverse impact is said to exist

grievance system

a process in which an employee files a complaint with the organization and a person or committee within the organization makes a decision regarding the complaint

hostile environment

a type of harassment characterized by a pattern of unwanted conduct related to gender that interferes with an individual's work performance

job related

the extent to which a test or measure taps a knowledge, skill, ability, behavior, or other characteristic needed to successfully perform a job

mediation

a method of resolving conflict in which a neutral third party is asked to help the two parties reach an agreement

nonbinding arbitration

a method of resolving conflicts in which a neutral third party is asked to choose which side is correct but in which either party may appeal the decision

qualified workforce

the percentage of people in a given geographic area who have the qualifications (skills, education, etc.) to perform a certain job

quid pro quo

a type of sexual harassment in which the granting of sexual favors is tied to an employment decision

realistic job preview (RJP)

a recruitment tool in which both the positive and negative aspects of a job are communicated to the applicant

recruitment

the process of attracting employees to an organization

competency performance dimensions

an employee appraisal approach focusing on employee knowledge, skills, and abilities

contextual performance dimensions

an employee appraisal approach focusing on the prosocial behaviors the employee displays in the work environment

critical incidents

a performance appraisal method in which employee behaviors are observed and documented

employment-at-will doctrine

the opinion of courts in most states that employers have the right to hire and fire an employee at will and without any specific cause

employment-at-will statements

statements in employment applications and company manuals reaffirming an organization's right to hire and fire at will

forced distribution method

an appraisal method in which a fixed percentage of employees are placed in predetermined performance categories

forced-choice rating scale

a method of performance appraisal in which a supervisor is given several behaviors and is forced to choose which of them is most typical of the employee