PSYC 2400 - Industrial‑Organizational Psychology

Credit Hours: 3.00

Objectives:

1. Define industrial and organizational psychology.
2. Describe the various roles of I/O psychologists.
3. Describe the major historical events in industrial and organizational psychology.
4. Describe & distinguish among the research methods used in I/O psychology.

Outcome 2: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of job analysis and its uses in organizations.

Objectives:

1. Describe the job analysis process.
2. Describe the various methods used for job analysis.
3. Using information obtained from a job analysis, write or critique a job description.

Outcome 3: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to describe the employee selection process.

Objectives:

1. Identify the components of the employee selection process.
2. Describe key legal issues in employee selection.
3. Identify advantages and disadvantages of selection techniques.
4. Describe methods used for selection decisions.

Outcome 4: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the employee performance appraisal process.

Objectives:

1. Identify components of the employee appraisal process.
2. Describe and differentiate among performance appraisal methods.
3. Identify the problems associated with performance ratings.

Outcome 5: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of employee training in organizations.

Objectives:

1. Describe the components and purpose of training needs assessment.
2. Describe various training methods and techniques.
3. Describe training evaluation strategies.

Outcome 6: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to compare and contrast theories of motivation and how they relate to job performance.

Objectives:

1. Describe the major theories of work motivation.
2. Given a description of a situation, apply the appropriate motivation theory or theories.
3. Describe and distinguish among individual differences and organizational contributions to work motivation.

Outcome 7: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of groups and group dynamics.

Objectives:

1. Define work groups.
2. Describe conformity and group cohesiveness and their impact on satisfaction and performance.
3. Describe causes of conflict.
4. Describe conflict resolution strategies.

Outcome 8: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of leadership and the use of power in organizations.

Objectives:

1. Identify major topics in leadership research.
2. Describe the theoretical approaches to leadership.
3. Identify potential diversity issues in leadership.
4. Identify the bases of power and their use in organizations.

1. Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology
   1. Definitions
      1. What is industrial/organizational psychology?
      2. The science and practice of industrial/organizational psychology
   2. The roots and early history of industrial/organizational psychology
      1. The beginnings
      2. World War I and the 1920s
      3. The Great Depression years and World War II
      4. The postwar years and the modern era
      5. Industrial/organizational psychology today in the future
2. Job Analysis
   1. Job analysis methods
      1. Observation, participation, existing data, interviews, survey, job diaries
   2. Specific job analysis techniques
      1. Job element method functional job analysis (FJA)
      2. Position analysis questionnaire (PAQ)
      3. Research using the PAQ
      4. Critical incidents technique (CIT)
      5. Comparing the different job analysis techniques
      6. Job analysis of ADA
      7. Job evaluation of comparable worth
3. Employee Selection
   1. Steps in the employee selection process
   2. Employee recruitment
   3. Employee screening
      1. Evaluation of written materials
      2. References and letters of recommendation
      3. Employment testing
      4. Considerations of the development and use of personal screening and testing methods
      5. Types of employment screening tests
      6. The effectiveness of employee screening tests
      7. Assessments centers
      8. Hiring interviews
   4. Employee selection and placement
      1. Making employee selection decisions
      2. Employee placement equal employment opportunity and employee selection and placement
      3. Testing disable job applicants
4. Evaluating Employee Performance
   1. Job performance and performance appraisals
   2. The measurement of job performance
      1. Objective versus subjective performance criteria
      2. Sources of performance ratings
   3. Methods of reading performance
      1. Comparative methods
      2. Individual methods
   4. The performance appraisal process
      1. Legal concerns and performance appraisals
      2. Team appraisals and the future of performance appraisals
5. Employee Training and Development
   1. Areas of employment training
      1. New employee orientation and training
      2. Retraining and continuing education programs
      3. Team training.
   2. Fundamental issues in employee training
      1. Key issues in the success of training programs
      2. Transfer of training, trainee readiness, training program structure
      3. Common problems and employee training programs
   3. A model for successful training program
   4. Diversity and equal employment opportunity issues and employee training
6. Motivation
   1. Defining Motivation
   2. Need theories of motivation
   3. Behavior based theories of motivation
   4. Job design theories of motivation
   5. Rational theories of motivation
   6. Comparing, contrasting, and combining the different motivation theories
   7. The relationship between motivation and performance
7. Employee Attitudes and Behaviors
   1. Increasing job satisfaction and organizational commitment
   2. Positive employee attitudes and behaviors
   3. Negative employee attitudes and behaviors
   4. Sources of workers stress
      1. Stressful occupations
      2. Organizational and individual sources of work stress
8. Group Processes in Work Organizations
   1. Defining teams and workgroups
   2. Group processes
   3. Group decision‐making processes
   4. Teams and teamwork
9. Leadership
   1. Universalist theories of leadership
   2. Behavioral theories of leadership
   3. Contingency theory of leadership
   4. Additional leadership theories
   5. Comparing and contrasting theories of leadership