1.2. Milestones in the Development of Industrial and Organizational Psychology

A vocabulary-style set of flashcards covering key terms, people, concepts, and principles from the notes on the development of industrial and organizational psychology.

Scientific management

An approach by Frederick Winslow Taylor to improve workplace efficiency by studying and streamlining work movements to determine the most efficient regular workload without harming workers.

Taylorism

The extension of scientific management; applying systematic study of work motions to increase productivity.

Frederick Winslow Taylor

Founder of scientific management; sought to improve efficiency through careful analysis of work.

The Principles of Scientific Management (1911)

Taylor's book outlining methods to maximize efficiency by scientifically studying tasks and workloads.

Frank Gilbreth

Engineer who, with Lilian Gilbreth, studied work motions to improve efficiency in engineering tasks.

Lilian Gilbreth

Pioneer who studied work motions with Frank Gilbreth to enhance efficiency and reduce motion waste.

Classic bureaucracy

An organizational form proposed by Max Weber emphasizing formal structure, rules, and clear responsibilities to maximize efficiency.

Max Weber

Sociologist who championed bureaucracy as the most efficient form of organization.

Henri Fayol

French industrialist who proposed principles of organization to help managers run organizations effectively.

Fayol’s 14 principles (concept)

A set of management principles guiding structure, discipline, and fairness in organizations (as described by Fayol and the notes).

Division of labor

Splitting tasks into specialized roles to improve efficiency (a key Fayol principle).

Authority

The right of managers to give orders and command resources.

Discipline

Employees should follow rules and respect authority.

Unity of command

Employees should report to only one boss.

Unity of direction

All activities should be directed toward a common objective.

Remuneration

Fair pay and compensation for employees.

Subordination of individual interests

Organizational goals take precedence over individual interests.

Centralization

Decision-making is concentrated at the top levels of management.

Scalar chain

Formal chain of authority and communication from top to bottom.

Order

Proper organization of resources and people.

Equity

Fair and just treatment of all employees.

Stability of tenure

Long-term employment and job security for staff.

Initiative

Encouraging employees to take responsibility and act on their own.

Esprit de corps

Fostering teamwork and a sense of unity within the organization.

Industrial psychology

Field recognizing workers as individuals, studying personal differences and how work conditions affect performance.

Hawthorne studies

1924–1932 studies at Western Electric that showed social factors and worker treatment influence productivity, sparking the human relations approach.

The Hawthorne effect

Phenomenon where people change their behavior because they know they are being observed; term coined by Robert P. French in 1953.

Elton Mayo

Lead researcher of the Hawthorne studies, key figure in the human relations movement.

Fritz Roethlisberger

Researcher from Hawthorne studies who contributed to understanding social factors in work.

William Dickson

Researcher involved in the Hawthorne studies examining workplace social dynamics.

Human relations movement

Movement emphasizing worker satisfaction, social factors, and group relations as central to productivity.

Neo-human relations

1950s approach that built on human relations with a more scientific focus on leadership and group dynamics.

Argyris

Contributor to neo-human relations, focusing on leadership and organizational change.

Lewin

Social psychologist known for group dynamics and change management in organizations.

Herzberg

Industrial psychologist known for the two-factor theory of motivation (motivation-hygiene).

Systems approach

View of organizations as open, interconnected systems with interdependent parts and environments.

Open socio-technical systems

Four characteristics: interdependent subsystems, open/dynamic interaction with the environment, striving for equilibrium, and multiple goals.

Trist and Bamforth (1951)

Study in a coal mine that helped establish the open socio-technical systems view of organizations.

Contingency approach

Theory that there is no one-size-fits-all solution; organizational processes must fit the specific situation.

Fiedler (1967) contingency model

Leadership effectiveness depends on the situational context and leader–follower relationships.