Skip to main content

Industrial-Organizational Psychology: History, Careers, and Education Study Guide

Learn about the essential elements of job analysis and recruitment in Industrial-Organizational psychology. This guide covers defining job roles, understanding work activities and context, and identifying necessary personal characteristics. It also explores strategic recruitment processes, evaluating their effectiveness, and the importance of diversity and applicant perception in attracting talent. Key topics include job descriptions, evaluation methods, and recruitment metrics.

Save this study guide to your study set

Sign up free

Your learning path

Introduction to Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Introduction to Industrial-Organizational Psychology

An overview of Industrial-Organizational psychology, differentiating between the industrial and organizational sides and distinguishing the field from clinical psychology and business degrees.

  • Industrial-Organizational (IO) psychology
  • Scientific practitioner training model
  • Industrial side (Personnel psychology)
  • Organizational side
  • Job analysis
  • Selection and evaluation
  • Organizational culture
  • Employee well-being

Course Introduction and Job Analysis Fundamentals

Foundations of Job Analysis and Recruitment

A lecture covering the definition and importance of job analysis, the components of job descriptions, and the learning outcomes for recruitment.

  • job analysis
  • job description
  • job evaluation
  • recruitment
  • work activities
  • job context
  • personal characteristics
  • occupational information

The Job Analysis Process and Methods

A guide to the job analysis process, including gathering information, writing task statements, and identifying KSAOs.

  • Job analysis
  • Subject matter experts (SMEs)
  • Task statements
  • Task inventory
  • Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other characteristics (KSAOs)
  • Job analyst
  • Field-based analysis
  • Committee-based analysis

Job Analysis, Evaluation, and Pay Equity

This topic covers the implications of job analysis for recruitment and the processes of job evaluation and pay equity.

  • Job analysis
  • Job evaluation
  • Compensable job factors
  • Internal pay equity
  • External pay equity
  • Wage trend line
  • Salary survey
  • Market position
  • Salary equity analysis

Selection Methods and Structured Interviews

Structured vs Unstructured Selection Interviews

A lecture defining interviews, differentiating between structured and unstructured formats, and explaining why structured interviews are more valid predictors of job performance.

  • Selection validity
  • Structured interviews
  • Unstructured interviews
  • Job-related questions
  • Behavioral anchors
  • Situational questions
  • Past behavioral questions
  • Primacy and recency effects
  • Standardization of content and evaluation

Evaluating Reliability and Validity in Selection Methods

Evaluating Selection Methods and Reliability

A lecture on evaluating selection methods, focusing on the characteristics of valid, reliable, and legally defensible selection processes.

  • reliability
  • test-retest reliability
  • alternate forms reliability
  • internal reliability
  • internal consistency
  • interrater reliability
  • validity
  • selection methods
  • item homogeneity
  • test scores

Validity and Fairness in Selection Methods

This content explores the relationship between reliability and validity, different types of validity, and the importance of fairness in selection methods.

  • reliability and validity relationship
  • content validity
  • criterion validity
  • concurrent validity
  • predictive validity
  • construct validity
  • convergent validity
  • discriminant validity
  • known group validity
  • face validity
  • cost efficiency
  • fairness in selection
  • measurement bias
  • predictive bias
  • single group validity
  • differential validity

History, Careers, and Graduate Studies in I-O Psychology

History and Career Paths in I-O Psychology

An overview of the historical evolution, academic requirements, and professional employment sectors within Industrial-Organizational psychology.

  • Industrial-Organizational psychology history
  • Human relations
  • Occupational health psychology
  • Academia vs. Industry
  • Consulting firms
  • Master's degree requirements
  • PhD dissertation
  • Qualifying exam
  • Research experience

Comparing OBHRM and IO Research Processes

This topic explores the distinctions between organizational behavior/human resource management (OBHRM) and industrial-organizational (IO) psychology, alongside the fundamental research process.

  • Organizational Behavior/Human Resource Management (OBHRM)
  • Industrial-Organizational (IO) Psychology
  • Scientist Practitioner Model
  • Academic vs. Industry Careers
  • Research Process
  • Hypothesis
  • Theory
  • Confirmatory Study
  • Exploratory Study

Recruitment Processes and Effectiveness

Recruitment Processes and Effectiveness

An overview of recruitment methods, applicant types, and criteria for evaluating recruitment effectiveness.

  • Recruitment
  • External Recruitment
  • Internal Recruitment
  • Active Applicants
  • Passive Applicants
  • Employee Referrals
  • Pre-hire Outcomes
  • Post-hire Outcomes

Information Aspects and Diversity in Recruitment

This topic explores information aspects including amount, specificity, and realism, alongside the importance of diversity in recruitment processes.

  • Information aspects
  • Specificity of information
  • Realistic job preview
  • Employer reputation
  • Recruitment experience
  • Demographic diversity
  • Workplace diversity policies

Interviewing and Non-Interview Selection Methods

Non-Interview Methods of Selection

This content covers non-interview methods of selection including references, recommendation letters, and dramats to predict job performance.

  • non-interview methods of selection
  • references
  • recommendation letters
  • dramats
  • job performance prediction
  • negligent hiring
  • base knowledge

Legal Defensibility and Statistical Evaluation of Selection Methods

Protected Classes and Occupational Requirements

An examination of protected classes, bona fide occupational requirements, and the legal defensibility of employment decisions regarding adverse impact and affirmative action.

  • protected classes
  • bona fide occupational requirements
  • adverse impact
  • affirmative action
  • employment decisions
  • discrimination
  • job analysis

Understanding Adverse Impact and Selection Rates

This content explains how adverse impact is determined using selection rates and the four fifths rule to identify when selection methods negatively affect protected classes.

  • adverse impact
  • selection rate
  • four fifths rule
  • protected class
  • statistical significance
  • practical significance
  • job analysis
  • occupational requirements
  • cognitive ability tests
  • personality inventories

Evaluating Selection Methods and Hiring Decisions

This lecture covers evaluating the usefulness of selection methods and different ways to make hiring decisions using various statistical approaches.

  • Utility formula
  • Compensatory approach
  • Top down selection
  • Rule of three
  • Banding
  • Standard error measurement
  • Passing scores
  • Multiple cutoff
  • Multiple hurdle approach

Literature Reviews and Research Methods

Research Methods in I-O Psychology

This topic explores literature reviews, research settings, and various research methods used to establish evidence in I-O psychology.

  • literature review
  • peer-reviewed research articles
  • empirical articles
  • review articles
  • laboratory research
  • field research
  • internal validity
  • external validity
  • experiment
  • independent variable
  • dependent variable
  • random assignment
  • quasi-experiments
  • intervention study
  • archival research

Research Methods and Statistical Analysis

This topic covers various research methods including archival research, surveys, and meta-analysis, alongside sampling techniques and correlation coefficients.

  • archival research
  • surveys
  • random sample
  • convenience sample
  • random assignment
  • meta-analysis
  • effect size
  • correlation coefficient

Statistical Significance and Effect Size

  • correlation
  • causation
  • Cohen's d
  • standard deviation
  • effect size
  • practical significance
  • statistical significance
  • p-value

Attracting and Requiring Qualified Individuals

Attracting and Qualifying Workplace Individuals

The discussion focuses on attracting and requiring qualified individuals with specific skills for the workplace.

  • Attracting qualified individuals
  • Workplace requirements
  • Qualified skills
  • Employee motivation

Cognitive Ability and Selection Assessment Methods

Employee Selection and Assessment Methods

An examination of cognitive ability, situational tests, assessment centers, and validity coefficients in predicting job performance.

  • Cognitive ability (g)
  • Adverse impact
  • Situational tests
  • Assessment centers
  • In-basket exercises
  • Validity coefficient
  • Structured interviews

Case Study Analysis and Job Search Strategies

Case Study Analysis and Job Search

A case study discussion regarding lack of motivation, unstructured interviews, and setting expectations alongside advice for job search credentials.

  • case study
  • lack of motivation
  • unstructured interviews
  • setting expectations
  • job search credentials

Make it your own.

Keep these readings and topics in a new study set, or add them to one you already use.

Get started freeLog in