Applied Psychology 361

What is organisational psychology?

The application of psychological principles and research to workplace settings to understand and improve human behaviour, wellbeing, and performance.

What are the key aims of organisational psychology?

Enhance worker wellbeing and productivity

When did organisational psychology emerge and why?

In the early 20th century during industrialisation, as factories sought scientific ways to improve efficiency and reduce worker error.

What was Yerkes & Dodson’s contribution?

Developed the first large-scale intelligence and aptitude tests for WWI officer selection; revealed bias favouring education and privilege — highlighting the need for fairer testing.

What did the Hawthorne Studies demonstrate?

Productivity increased when workers felt observed, valued, and supported — introducing the Human Relations Movement.

How did Lillian & Frank Gilbreth advance organisational psychology?

Pioneered time-and-motion studies and ergonomics; Lillian introduced the operating-theatre nurse role to improve efficiency and safety.

What is the difference between engagement and burnout?

Engagement = vigour, dedication, absorption.
Burnout = emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced accomplishment.
They are opposite ends of the occupational-wellbeing spectrum.

What causes burnout?

Excessive workload, poor leadership, low control, unclear roles, value conflict, and chronic stress.

How can burnout be prevented?

Promote recovery time, reasonable workload, supportive leadership, autonomy, and early recognition of psychosocial risks.

What legal duty do Australian employers have regarding psychological safety?

Under WHS legislation, employers must manage psychosocial hazards and ensure both physical and psychological safety at work.

Why is recruitment and selection critical?

Hiring mistakes are costly (~1.5 × annual salary), cause knowledge loss, and lower morale; effective selection improves engagement and retention.

List key recruitment principles

Job–person fit

What are Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)?

Interview rating tools that link each score to specific observable behaviours, improving fairness and inter-rater reliability.

Why must AI screening tools be used carefully?

They may replicate online gender or cultural bias found in their training data.

What is “culture fit” vs “culture add”?

Fit = alignment with existing norms; 

Add = bringing new perspectives.
Over-emphasis on fit can reduce diversity and innovation.

Which career-planning theories were discussed by Jennifer Porter?

Planned Happenstance Theory – use chance opportunities flexibly

What transferable skills are valued in careers?

Communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, and self-reflection.

How has the nature of work changed since the 1960s?

Greater female workforce participation, dual incomes, flexible and part-time work, lower fertility rates, and longer working lives.

What is the “Right to Disconnect” legislation?

A 2024 law protecting employees from being contacted or expected to respond outside work hours.

What are the two main pathways in the Work–Family Enrichment Model?

Instrumental – skills/resources transfer between roles

Give examples of psychosocial hazards.

Workload pressure, bullying, lack of support, low autonomy, and poor role clarity.

What are organisational psychologists’ two “clients”?

1. Executives/leadership (strategic goals)

2. Employees (wellbeing and engagement)

Typical practice areas for organisational psychologists?

Leadership and talent development, change management, engagement, assessment, and wellbeing programs.

Describe Vivian Faner’s case on leadership succession.

Identified high-potential employees using ability + aspiration + engagement; used psychometrics and 360° feedback to create individual leadership-development plans.

What makes organisational psychologists different from HR staff?

They apply scientific, evidence-based assessment and intervention methods and can administer licensed psychometric tests.

Who regulates psychologists in Australia?

AHPRA and the Psychology Board of Australia under the National Health Practitioner Law.
The title “psychologist” is legally protected.

Summarise the overall purpose of organisational psychology.

Use psychological science to create healthy, fair, productive workplaces where individuals and organisations can thrive.

What is Self-Determination Theory (SDT)?

A theory by Deci & Ryan explaining human motivation through the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs — autonomy, competence, and relatedness — which promote intrinsic motivation and wellbeing.

What are the three basic psychological needs in SDT?

1. Autonomy – feeling choice and control over actions

2. Competence – feeling capable and effective

3. Relatedness – feeling connected and valued by others

What happens when the three needs are supported vs. thwarted?

• Supported: higher engagement, creativity, wellbeing.

• Thwarted: controlled motivation, stress, and burnout.

Give a workplace example of SDT in action.

Allowing staff to design parts of their schedule (autonomy), offering feedback and training (competence), and fostering supportive teamwork (relatedness) increases intrinsic motivation.

How does SDT relate to the JD-R Model?

Job resources like autonomy and social support satisfy SDT needs, increasing intrinsic motivation and engagement — buffering against burnout.

What is the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) Model?

A framework explaining how all jobs have demands that can cause strain and resources that promote motivation, wellbeing, and performance.

What are job demands?

Aspects of work that require sustained effort and cause strain if excessive, such as workload, emotional labour, time pressure, or conflict.

What are job resources?

Aspects of work that help achieve goals, reduce stress, or promote growth — like autonomy, feedback, social support, and opportunities for learning.

What are the two key processes in the JD-R Model?

1. Health Impairment Process – high demands → exhaustion → burnout.

2. Motivational Process – high resources → engagement → performance.

What are personal resources in the JD-R Model?

Internal traits like self-efficacy, optimism, and resilience that buffer stress and enhance engagement.

How can organisations apply the JD-R Model?

Identify excessive demands and boost resources (support, autonomy, feedback) to prevent burnout and promote engagement.

How do JD-R and SDT connect?

Job resources (like autonomy and support) satisfy SDT needs → boost intrinsic motivation and engagement → protect against burnout.

What is work engagement?

A positive, fulfilling work-related state marked by vigour, dedication, and absorption. Engaged employees feel energetic, inspired, and deeply involved in their work.

What is burnout?

A chronic stress reaction involving emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation/cynicism, and reduced personal accomplishment. It results from prolonged imbalance between high demands and low resources.

How does the JD-R model explain engagement and burnout?

• Health-impairment process: Excessive demands drain energy → burnout.

• Motivational process: Abundant resources (support, autonomy, feedback) → engagement and performance.

How does Self-Determination Theory relate to engagement?

When autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs are met, intrinsic motivation and engagement rise; when these needs are thwarted, controlled motivation and burnout increase.

What are practical strategies to increase engagement and reduce burnout?

• Balance workload (reduce demands).

• Strengthen resources: autonomy, support, feedback, recognition.

• Encourage recovery breaks and psychological safety.

• Promote alignment with personal values and strengths.

How are engagement and burnout related?

They are opposite ends of a continuum — engagement represents energy and involvement, while burnout reflects exhaustion and withdrawal.

Why are SDT, JD-R and Engagement and Burnout important in organisational psychology?

They link employee wellbeing with productivity; managing engagement and burnout improves performance, retention, and workplace safety — now a legal duty under psychosocial hazard legislation.

What is the 9-Box Model?

A talent management tool that evaluates employees on performance (how well they do their job) and potential (their capacity for future growth), helping identify future leaders and development needs.

What are the two axes of the 9-Box Model?

• Horizontal axis: Performance (low → high)

• Vertical axis: Potential (low → high)
  Each employee is plotted across these to create nine boxes representing different talent categories

What is the purpose of using the 9-Box Model?

To guide succession planning, leadership development, and career progression by distinguishing between star performers, core contributors, and those needing support or reassignment.

What are key benefits and limitations of the 9-Box Model?

✅ Simple, visual, and useful for structured talent discussions.
❌ Risk of subjectivity or bias if based on manager “gut feel” instead of evidence-based assessments.

How can organisational psychologists improve the 9-Box process?

By integrating psychometric assessments, validated performance data, and structured feedback to ensure accurate, fair, and evidence-based identification of high-potential employees.

What is Sport Psychology?

The scientific study of people and their behaviours in sport contexts, applying psychological principles to optimise performance and wellbeing.

What is Exercise Psychology?

The study of how physical activity affects mental health, motivation, and wellbeing, focusing on why people engage or avoid exercise.

What are key tools in sport psychology?

Mental imagery, self-talk, mindfulness, goal setting, flow, resilience, and self-compassion.

What is the difference between Flow and Clutch states?

Flow = effortless absorption in the task; Clutch = focused, high-intensity state under extreme pressure.

What is Psychological Flexibility?

The ability to act according to one’s values despite discomfort, often trained through ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy).

What is Self-Compassion in sport?

Treating oneself with kindness after mistakes or setbacks, which promotes resilience and sustained motivation.

What is “pressure” in performance psychology?

A situation involving evaluation, high stakes, and the potential for negative consequences; often triggers anxiety or “choking.”

What do Distraction Theories explain?

Under pressure, attention shifts to irrelevant cues (e.g., worry, crowd noise), disrupting task focus and performance.

What do Self-Focus Theories explain?

Under pressure, athletes overthink and consciously control automatic skills, causing performance breakdown (e.g., free throws).

What are core Psychological Skills Training (PST) methods?

Imagery, goal setting, relaxation, self-talk, and focus routines to proactively build mental skill

What are Pre-Performance Routines?

Structured actions (e.g., breath, cue word, execution) before performance to maintain task focus and manage arousal.

What are the three “waves” of psychological approaches in sport?

1. Behavioural (control behaviour),

2. CBT (reframe thoughts),

3. Acceptance-based (accept and refocus).

What defines Third-Wave approaches in sport psychology?

Focus on acceptance and psychological flexibility (e.g., ACT, mindfulness) rather than controlling anxiety

What are common stressors for elite athletes?

Media scrutiny, travel, injury, performance pressure, and transitions such as retirement.

What are the IOC principles for athlete mental health care?

Athlete-centred, confidential, evidence-based, and culturally sensitive, prioritising wellbeing over performance.

What is the Pyramid of Care for athlete wellbeing?

1. Prevention/foundations,

2. Early identification,

3. Early intervention,

4. Specialist care.

What is the “Ahead of the Game” program?

A community-based UOW initiative (Stuart Vella) using sport to promote male youth mental health and literacy.

How do JD-R and SDT concepts apply to athletes?

Adequate resources (autonomy, support) and need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, relatedness) enhance engagement and resilience.

What is the central aim of sport and exercise psychology?

To help individuals perform well and feel well by enhancing both performance and mental health through evidence-based methods

What is the Challenge vs Threat State theory?

Based on the Biopsychosocial Model — when facing pressure, athletes appraise demands and resources.

• Challenge state: resources > demands → confidence, approach motivation.

• Threat state: demands > resources → anxiety, avoidance.
  Challenge states = better performance.

What is Attentional Control Theory (Eysenck et al., 2007)?

Anxiety impairs performance by reducing attentional control — the athlete’s focus shifts from task-relevant cues to worries or distractions.
Example: A soccer player fixates on crowd noise instead of the ball.

What is Reinvestment Theory (Masters, 1992)?

Under pressure, skilled performers revert to consciously controlling movements that are normally automatic — leading to “choking.”
Example: A golfer overthinks their swing mechanics during a playoff.

What is the main difference between Distraction and Self-Focus theories?

• Distraction Theories: Performance drops because attention drifts away from the task.

• Self-Focus Theories: Performance drops because attention turns inward, disrupting automatic skill execution.

What is the “Inverted-U” (Yerkes–Dodson) principle?

Performance improves with arousal up to an optimal point — too little = boredom, too much = anxiety and decreased accuracy.

How can athletes manage anxiety to improve performance?

Through psychological skills training — using breathing, cue words, imagery, and acceptance-based techniques to refocus on task-relevant cues.

How do Challenge/Threat appraisals link to physiological responses?

• Challenge: ↑ cardiac output, ↓ vascular resistance → efficient blood flow.

• Threat: ↓ cardiac output, ↑ vascular resistance → restricted flow and tension.
  This links mind–body mechanisms directly to performance.

What does the IOC refer to in sport psychology?

The International Olympic Committee, which sets global standards for athlete mental health and wellbeing. Its 2019 Consensus Statement outlines principles for care that is athlete-centred, confidential, evidence-based, culturally sensitive, and integrated with physical health. These guidelines influence how psychologists, coaches, and organisations support elite athletes worldwide

What is Mental Health Literacy in sport psychology?

Mental health literacy refers to the knowledge and understanding that enable individuals to recognise, manage, and prevent mental health problems. In sport, it means helping athletes, coaches, and staff identify early signs of distress, reduce stigma, and know when and how to seek professional help. Programs like “Ahead of the Game” (Vella et al.)use mental health literacy training to build awareness, supportive team cultures, and early intervention in community and elite sport.

How does Mental Health Literacy fit within the Pyramid of Care model in sport psychology?

Mental health literacy forms the foundation (Level 1) of the Pyramid of Care for athlete wellbeing. It promotes prevention and early recognition by teaching athletes, coaches, and staff to understand mental health, reduce stigma, and recognise early warning signs. This awareness enables timely early identification (Level 2) and intervention (Level 3) before issues escalate to specialist care.