Industrial And Organisational Psychology And Its Importance
Question:
What is the field of industrial and organizational psychology, and what are its primary areas of focus?
Answer
Introduction
The structure of an organisation is the only focus of industrial and organisational psychology. It assists in examining how individuals connect with one another so that required modifications can be made. Although industrial psychology and organisational psychology differ, they are both employed in tandem. In essence, it is a branch of study that investigates how individuals behave and think when at work. The results of this study will aid in understanding the development of organisational and industrial psychology as well as how these fields interact with one another. The study will also concentrate on the ways in which organisational psychology can be useful in the modern world, the subjects it will cover, and the methods used by organisational psychologists.
How should one interpret "industrial and organisational psychology"?
Studying human behaviour, how psychology influences their job, and how work affects people is made easier by the field of industrial and organisational psychology. People who study these fields are referred to be psychologists when they get a master's or doctoral degree, and they typically work in academic institutions, governmental agencies, consulting firms, and other corporate establishments (Cilliers &Flotman, 2016). Industrial psychology comprises describing a job's requirements and assessing candidates who meet them. Industrial psychology also includes the training, evaluation, and reaction of a newly hired employee to such evaluations. Organizational psychology looks at how coworkers interact with one another and how that affects both the coworkers and the performance of the company. Organizational psychology also encompasses research on worker satisfaction, motivation, and commitment (MacKie, 2017). The management, organisational culture, organisational structure, leadership style, etc. are all covered in the study. The key components of organisational and industrial psychology are laid out in the graphic below:
Organizational and industrial psychology development
Organizational and industrial psychology have their roots in the twentieth century. Numerous psychologists, including James Cattell (1860–1944), Robert Yerkes (1876–1956), Lillian Gilbreth (1878–1972), and others, studied issues pertaining to hiring, training, and advertising of staff (Kraiger, 2001). Cattell later established a psychological consulting business, which is still operating today under the name Psychological Corporation. Many psychologists published in journals where they examined topics related to organisational and industrial psychology. Industrial and organisational psychology emerged as a significant research field following World Wars One and Two, and questions about being impartial and fair in the workplace, as well as job satisfaction and employee motivation, began to be looked into.
Despite being relatively minor compared to other areas of psychology, the subject of industrial and organisational psychology is currently expanding. Since 1997, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology has seen an increase in its membership (Kraiger, 2001). Industrial and organisational psychology will likely experience one of the quickest job growth rates in the country, according to the US Bureau of LaborStatistics. Numerous people are choosing to work in this field as a result of the advantages and influence that the study has been adding.