PSY FPX 8711 Assessment 1 I/O Psychology Practices

PSY FPX 8711 Assessment 1 I/O Psychology Practices

Student Name

Capella University

PSY FPX 8711 Principles of Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Prof. Name:

Date

I/O Psychology Practices

This study aims to explore various I/O psychology practices employed in the workplace. The foundational theories and organizational practices associated with each practice will be discussed. The application of each practice to both industrial and organizational contexts will be examined. The evolution of the workplace and its impact on the development of I/O psychology will also be explored. Finally, the study will address the gap between scholarly research and practitioner application in workplace practices.

I/O Practices in the Workplace

Training Practice

This section will cover three I/O psychology practices in the workplace: Motivation (organizational), Training (industrial), and Selection (industrial). Training is described by Goldstein and Ford (2002) as the systematic acquisition of skills, concepts, or attitudes that lead to improved performance (Landy & Conte, 2016). The foundational theories used in training include social and cognitive learning theories. Cognitive learning theories focus on how individuals process and interpret information, while social learning theories emphasize various learning methods (Landy & Conte, 2016). Interpersonal training has become a widely utilized technique. I/O training practices within organizations involve computer-based learning, executive coaching, management development, mentoring, leadership training, competency modeling, team design and training, and measuring training effectiveness (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychologists, 2018).

When I/O psychologists analyze training in an organization, they often use a needs analysis to determine where training is needed, what needs to be taught, and who should be trained (Landy & Conte, 2016). The Goldstein and Ford training model is widely used, beginning with an organizational analysis to identify goals and problems that pinpoint where training is necessary. A task analysis follows, focusing on the tasks and requirements employees must meet to succeed. A person analysis is then conducted to assess the knowledge, skills, and performance of employees to identify who requires training.

PSY FPX 8711 Assessment 1 I/O Psychology Practices

Once training objectives are established, the training program’s design is developed, considering trainee readiness and motivation (Landy & Conte, 2016). The final phase involves evaluating the training program. One evaluation model is Kirkpatrick’s (1976) four levels: reactions, learning, behavior, and results (Bauer, n.d.). Reactions measure trainee satisfaction, while learning outcomes include cognitive, skill-based, and affective outcomes (Bauer, n.d.). Behavior refers to the application of learned skills in the workplace, and results assess the training’s impact on the organization (Bauer, n.d.). Training validity includes training/transfer validity and intraorganizational/interorganizational validity (Landy & Conte, 2016).

The workplace has undergone significant changes that have increased the demand for I/O psychologists. Many organizations are revising their mission statements to emphasize building healthy and diverse workforces, leading to training programs focused on recognizing unconscious biases and their impact on behavior (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychologists, 2018). These programs aim to promote effective collaboration, leverage diversity, and improve business outcomes (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2018). The gap between scholarly research and practical application often emerges in training, where practitioners may rely on field experience without considering important academic insights. For example, Larkey, Nemetz, and Christensen et al. (1996) highlight the lack of empirical research on diversity training’s effect on interpersonal behavior in organizations (Sanchez & Medkik, 2004). Scholars, relying on academic research, might recognize issues overlooked by practitioners due to a lack of field experience.

Personnel Selection Practice

Personnel selection involves identifying and hiring new employees who are likely to succeed in their roles. Organizations use various selection procedures, including paper-and-pencil tests, computerized tests, performance tests, and inventories, either singly or in combination, to make personnel decisions (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2003). The evaluation of selection procedures involves gathering evidence to support job-relatedness (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2003). The validation process in personnel selection includes evaluating the relationship between scores and predictors, content-related validity, internal structure, response processes, and the consequences of personnel decisions (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2003).

Planning the validation effort requires examining proposed users and existing evidence. Psychologists assess sound inference requirements and feasibility. The final step involves analyzing work and the level of detail needed for conducting the analysis. Validity evidence is then examined, including criterion-related validity, which involves feasibility, design and conduct, development, predictor choice, participant selection, and data analysis (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2003). Content validity evaluation involves studying the feasibility of the content-based validation, strategies, content domain, selection procedures, procedural considerations, and content-related evidence (Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2003). Generalizing validity evidence includes transportability, synthetic validity, job-component validity, and meta-analysis. The final step involves examining fairness and bias, including predictive and measurement bias.

PSY FPX 8711 Assessment 1 I/O Psychology Practices

Personnel selection practices are applied differently in industrial and organizational contexts. In an industrial setting, the focus is on predicting and enhancing performance, often through mental ability tests that avoid considering motivation and emotions (Landy & Conte, 2016). Industrial personnel selection includes recruitment, selection, evaluation, succession planning, job task analysis, performance appraisal, training and safety, and human performance factors (Capella University, 2018). In contrast, organizational personnel selection focuses on socialization, motivation, leadership development, group behavior, organizational performance, coaching, health and stress factors, and organizational development (Capella University, 2018). Organizational selection also considers worker well-being, social environment, and organizational variables that influence behavior (Landy & Conte, 2016).

The evolution of personnel selection has been influenced by advances in technology, which have necessitated the development of new assessment tools that are valid and reliable across various contexts (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2014). Coovert (1995) emphasized that technological advancements will make personnel selection measures critical in employee selection (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2018). The gap between scholarly research and practical application in personnel selection can be seen in how theory and practice diverge in their focus on employee training, where scholars emphasize theory while practitioners focus on enhancing productivity.

Motivation Practice

Motivation in the workplace involves the conditions responsible for variations in behavior, including intensity, persistence, quality, and direction (Landy & Conte, 2016). Steele (1998) discusses self-affirmation theory, which emphasizes self-coherence and self-integrity as core components of motivation and well-being, leading to significant findings on workplace behavior (American Psychological Association, 2017). Motivation theories in the workplace can be divided into classic and modern approaches. Classic approaches include Person-as-Machine Theories, such as Maslow’s Need Theory, which suggests that human needs drive behavior (Landy & Conte, 2016). Reinforcement Theory, another classic approach, views behavior as a response to stimuli, leading to rewards (Landy & Conte, 2016). Person-as-Scientist Theories, such as Path-Goal Theory, describe individuals as weighing options before making decisions (Landy & Conte, 2016). VIE Theory, another Person-as-Scientist Theory, posits that environmental objects can attract or repel individuals (Landy & Conte, 2016).

Modern approaches to motivation include Person-as-Intentional Approaches, such as Goal-Setting Theory, which links goal-setting to work motivation (Landy & Conte, 2016). Rubicon Theory, another modern approach, focuses on the role of intent in motivated behavior and the connection between intent and action (Landy & Conte, 2016). In industrial contexts, Rubicon Theory is appropriate for strategic planning, focusing on intent and action. In organizational contexts, Goal-Setting Theory aligns with motivation, organizational performance, and group behavior.

PSY FPX 8711 Assessment 1 I/O Psychology Practices

Changes in the workplace, including economic and technological shifts, have driven new research on the influence of sociocultural and environmental factors on motivation (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2018). This research has identified work behaviors related to development, citizenship, and attachment. New theories, paradigms, and organizational concerns provide opportunities for continued study of work motivation in the coming decades (Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc., 2018). The gap between scholarly research and practical application in motivation is evident in the differing emphasis on employee recognition and awards (theory) versus retention strategies (practice).

This study examined three organizational practices in the workplace conducted by I/O psychologists, including their foundational theories and organizational applications. The study also explored how workplace changes have influenced each practice and identified related gaps between scholarly research and practitioner application. The study concluded with an analysis of the gap between theory and practice in motivation, particularly in the context of employee recognition and retention.

I/O Psychology Practices

PSY FPX 8711 Assessment 1 I/O Psychology Practices