Exam 1 Prep / Psychology And Work

Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology

The scientific study of people and behavior at work.

Sustainability

Meeting current needs without compromising future generations' needs.

Ecological Interconnectedness

Changes in one part of a system affect other parts.

Limited Resources

Natural resources and ecological capacity are finite.

Upstream Solution

Prevents a problem by addressing its root causes.

Downstream Solution

Responds to a problem after it has occurred.

Linear System

A take-make-dispose model that generates waste.

Circular System

A system designed to reuse materials and minimize waste.

Organizational Culture

Shared assumptions, values, and practices guiding organizational behavior.

Organizational Values

Guiding principles about what an organization considers important.

Organizational Norms

Shared expectations for appropriate behavior at work.

Organizational Myths and Stories

Narratives that communicate an organization's history and values.

Symbols and Artifacts

Visible objects or practices that represent organizational culture.

Organizational Socialization

How newcomers learn an organization's culture and expectations.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about variables or relationships.

Independent Variable

A factor manipulated or compared to study its effects.

Dependent Variable

The outcome measured in a research study.

Random Assignment

Using chance to assign participants to experimental conditions.

Control Group

A comparison group that does not receive the experimental treatment.

Confounding Variable

An uncontrolled factor that could explain an observed effect.

Work Analysis

Systematic examination of job tasks and worker requirements.

Task-Oriented Work Analysis

Identifies the duties and activities performed in a job.

Worker-Oriented Work Analysis

Identifies characteristics required to perform a job.

KSAOs

Knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics needed for work.

Critical Incident

A specific example of particularly effective or ineffective job behavior.

Recruitment

Activities designed to attract potential job applicants.

Realistic Job Preview

An honest description of both positive and negative job aspects.

Selection System

Methods used to evaluate and choose job applicants.

Predictor

A measure used to forecast future job performance.

Performance Criterion

A standard or outcome used to judge job performance.

Reliability

The consistency of a measure or assessment.

Test-Retest Reliability

Consistency of scores when the same test is repeated over time.

Inter-Rater Reliability

Agreement among different evaluators rating the same thing.

Validity

Evidence that an assessment supports its intended interpretation or use.

Face Validity

How relevant a test appears to the person taking it.

Content Validity

How well an assessment represents relevant job tasks or content.

Criterion-Related Validity

How strongly assessment scores relate to relevant performance outcomes.

Convergent Validity

A measure correlates with other measures of a similar construct.

Discriminant Validity

A measure is distinct from measures of unrelated constructs.

Utility

The practical benefits of a selection method relative to its costs.

Structured Interview

An interview using consistent job-related questions and scoring rules.

Assessment Center

A set of exercises, such as role-plays, used to assess job-related competencies.

Graphology

Using handwriting analysis to infer personal characteristics.

Work Sample Test

An assessment requiring applicants to perform actual job activities.

Performance Appraisal

A systematic evaluation of an employee's work performance.

Performance Management

Ongoing goal-setting, feedback, and improvement of employee performance.

Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS)

A rating scale with specific job behaviors anchoring performance levels.

360-Degree Feedback

Performance feedback collected from multiple sources around an employee.

Objective Performance Measure

A performance indicator based on countable results or outcomes.

Halo Error

One favorable impression influences ratings on other dimensions.

Leniency Error

A tendency to rate employees more favorably than warranted.

Stringency Error

A tendency to rate employees more harshly than warranted.

Central Tendency Error

A tendency to rate most employees near the middle of a scale.

Distributive Justice

Perceived fairness of outcomes and resource allocations.

Procedural Justice

Perceived fairness of the procedures used to make decisions.

Interpersonal Justice

Perceived fairness of respectful and dignified treatment.

Informational Justice

Perceived fairness of explanations and information provided.