applied psychology lecture 1 week 22

PSYC 1F90

Guided Notes

Applied Psychology 1

The Big Questions We’ll Answer in This Unit:

Part 1: Introduction

  1. What is applied psychology?
  2. What is organizational psychology?
  3. What is industrial psychology?

Part 2: Organizational Psychology

  1. What is Theory X leadership?
  2. What is Theory Y leadership?
  3. What is transformational leadership?
  4. What is job satisfaction?
  5. What makes work satisfying?
  6. What is flexible work?
  7. What is job enrichment?

Part 3: Industrial Psychology

  1. What is Personnel Psychology?
  2. What is a job analysis?
  3. What are the key methods used by personnel psychologists for selection?

The Big Questions:

Notes:

Part 1: Introduction

What is applied psychology?

Define what psychological scientists mean by applied psychology:

Applied Psychology- the use of psychological principles and theories to solve psychological problems.

Technology:

  • Automation of dangerous tasks, ergonomic office spaces

Legislation/ policy:

  • Four day work weeks, mandated breaks, right to disconnect laws

Psychology:

  • Leadership, attitudes, personality

What is organizational psychology?

Organizational psychology: how to use psychology to create organizations that maximize the success and wellbeing of workers

What is industrial psychology?

Industrial psychology: how to use psychology to find the best candidate for the job

What questions do you have about Part 1? Make sure to come to office hours and get them answered!

Part 2: Organizational Psychology

What is Theory X leadership?

What is Theory Y leadership?

Theory X: see employees as people who dislike their work, with their only motivation being money. They use a very hands on approach, and micromanage. They see their workers as needed to be supervised and controlled because they dislike their work.

Emphasis on worker efficiency, to get the most out of workers for the minimum cost. Treated like machines that need to be optimized.

Theory Y: they believe that employees take pride in their work. People trust their employees, and effectively do their work themselves. Gives people freedom and responsibility, and if you give them to the freedom to do so, they will meet expectations. The idea that a happy worker is a productive worker. Related to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- the need of self-actualization (personal growth)

  • People oriented
  • Flexible style of management:
  • Employee participation in decisions
  • Design of more interesting jobs

What is transformational leadership?

Transformational leadership: leaders with this style create an inspirational vision to motivate employees.

Use the table below to describe the key dimensions of transformational leadership:

Dimension:

Summary/Description:

Idealized influence

  • Putting the followers needs first
  • An ideal moral example

Inspirational motivation

  • Provide the employees with meaning for the task they are working on
  • Inspire people with a bigger meaning beyond themselves

Intellectual stimulation

  • Stimulate how people think in a different way

Individualized consideration

  • Involves treating employees as distinct individuals and meeting their individual needs

Shared Leadership- involving employees in decision making, because the employees feel ownership over what they are doing. Produces higher quality work because they feel they are a part of it. Reduces employees stress, they feel that they have agency and control.

Management by objectives- workers are given specific goals to meet by managers, but the employee is given responsibility to figure out how to meet the goal themselves rather than telling them how to get there. This allows them to guide their own process to feel in control.

What is job satisfaction?

Job satisfaction: the degree to which someone feels positively towards their place of work.

Why is job satisfaction important?

high job satisfaction is associated with:

  • Better employee performance
  • Lower absenteeism
  • Lower turnover
  • Happier customers
  • More organizational citizenship behaviour

What makes work satisfying?

Describe four things that make work satisfying:

1) the work itself

2) coworkers and boss

3) compensation

4) career opportunities

What is flexible work?

Flexible work: permit flexibility, some evidence that it increases employee satisfaction b/c it

  • Decreases stress
  • Signals to employees that they are valued and trusted
  • Flextime: flexibility in arrival and departure times
  • Flexplace: flexibility in where you work

What is job enrichment?

Job enrichment: building achievement, recognition, responsibility, and advancement into the work

Describe four ways to increase job enrichment:

1) show employees why their work matters

2) reduce supervision

3) use small teams

4) increase ownership over tasks

What questions do you have about Part 2? Make sure to come to office hours and get them answered!

Part 3: Industrial Psychology

What is Personnel Psychology?

Personnel Psychology: using psychology to facilitate testing selection placing and promoting employees at work

What is a job analysis?

Job analysis: a detailed description of the skills, knowledge and activities required by a particular job

Task orientated job analysis: identifying the duties and tasks required to do a job

Worker orientated job analysis: identifying knowledge, expertise and personality required to do a job

Critical incidents: are situations which a competent employee must be able to cope with ex. aviation

What are the key methods used by personnel psychologists for selection?

Use the table below to summarize the different selection techniques used by personnel psychologists:

Method:

Summary/Description:

Biodata

Collecting biographical data on job candidates

Examples:

  • Work experience.
  • Schooling
  • Extracurricular interests

Interviews

Formal or informal questioning of job applicants to learn about their qualifications and personality.

Examples:

Structured interviews: conducting each interview in a consistent, standardized way.

  • Standardized questions
  • Standardized procedure for asking questions.
  • Standardized approach to evaluating candidates.

Psychological tests

Aptitude tests- measure a person’s ability to learn a skill used in various occupations.

Ex. clerical aptitude test tests your ability to do well in an office with attention to detail

Personality tests:

Ex. Big 5 model of personality

  • Openness to experience
  • Conscientiousness
  • Extraversion
  • Agreeableness
  • Neuroticism

High conscientiousness and low neuroticism tend to do well in workplaces.

Assessment centers

Do in depth evaluations of job candidates

Used to hire for management and executive positions

Use several different evaluation techniques:

  • Psychological tests
  • Interviews
  • Simulated work exercises

Ex. in basket test assesses the clients ability to perform well as a manager.

What questions do you have about Part 3? Make sure to come to office hours and get them answered!