Chapter 1 Introduction to Industrial Psychology

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

A branch of psychology that applies psychological principles to the workplace, affecting employee factors and organizational dynamics.

Personnel Psychology

Field of study that focuses on selecting and evaluating employees based on job competencies, recruitment, training, and performance evaluation.

Organizational Psychology

Field of study that explores employee behavior within organizations, addressing leadership, motivation, communication, and organizational culture.

Human Factors/Ergonomics

Field studying the interaction between humans and machines, focusing on workplace design to enhance safety and efficiency.

Hawthorne Effect

The phenomenon where employees modify their behavior because they are being observed or receive attention.

Doctoral Program

A graduate program typically lasting 5 years, requiring a dissertation and entry requirements such as a 3.5 GPA and GRE score.

Terminal Master’s Degree Program

Graduate programs that award a master’s degree without leading to a PhD, ideal for applied HR positions.

Practicum

A position that offers practical work experience in an organization, either paid or unpaid.

Dissertation

A formal research paper that is a requirement for most doctoral students to graduate.

Hawthorne Studies

Research conducted at the Western Electric Company that revealed complex employee behavior influenced by manager-employee interactions.