developments in mental ability testing and recruitment methods notably by James McKeen

1 Lecture 1 – Introduction to Work Psychology The Origins of Work Psychology The first practical use of psychology in the workplace appeared in advertising, by Walter Dill Scott (1903), who applied psychological principles to understand consumer behavior. Later, developments in mental ability testing and recruitment methods (notably by James McKeen Cattell) became central to early Industrial Psychology. During World War I, psychological testing gained importance as it was used to assign soldiers to roles suited to their abilities and mental characteristics. This marked a turning point in using psychology for personnel selection and job placement. Following WWI, psychological methods were increasingly applied to boost productivity and efficiency.Examples include the work of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, pioneers in time and motion studies, who analyzed how tasks could be performed more efficiently to improve workplace performance.The Hawthorne Studies and Their Impact The Hawthorne Studies were conducted at the Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne plant during the 1920s and 1930s. The studies led to an enhanced understanding of what motivates individuals in the workplace. Researchers found that social needs, not just economic ones, play a critical role in influencing work-related attitudes and behaviors.This revealed that employees are not only motivated by money, but also by social recognition, group belonging, and attention from management.The Hawthorne Effect When employees feel singled out for special attention or believe that management cares about their well-being, they tend to perform better.

Definition: What Is Work Psychology?

Work Psychology (also known as Industrial and Organizational Psychology) is the application of psychological theories and methods to real-world problems in the workplace. Work Psychology bridges human behavior and organizational needs using scientific methods to solve practical workplace issues.

It focuses on improving:

• Individual performance and well-being • Organizational effectiveness • The match between people and their work environments Main Fields of Work Psychology

• Personnel Psychology – focuses on employee recruitment, selection, assessment, and

performance evaluation.

• Organizational Psychology – examines motivation, leadership, teamwork, culture, and

employee satisfaction.

• Human Factors / Ergonomics – designs tools, systems, and environments that fit

human abilities and limitations.

• Consumer Psychology – studies how consumers make choices and how marketing

influences them.

• / 4

2

• Coaching Psychology – applies psychological principles to personal and professional

development.

• Occupational Health and Safety – promotes employee well-being, reduces stress, and

prevents workplace injuries.Work Psychologists perform diverse tasks aimed at improving both individual and organizational functioning. In short, they aim to optimize performance and well-being for both employees and organizations.• Study working styles of managers and employees • Observe and analyze workplace productivity • Collaborate with management to develop and implement effective company policies • Design and deliver training programs to enhance employee skills • Work closely with HR departments on selection and development processes • Assist organizations in hiring for cultural fit and aligning recruitment with company values • Contribute to organizational change and efficiency improvements • Support initiatives for better work-life balance and employee well-being • Facilitate transitions such as corporate mergers, restructuring, or leadership changes Research in Work Psychology Research in Work Psychology aims to answer questions and make decisions using scientific evidence rather than intuition.Work psychologists adopt the Scientist–Practitioner Model. This approach underpins Evidence-Based Management (EBM) – making managerial decisions based on data

and scientific research instead of assumptions:

• As scientists, they conduct research to understand workplace behavior.• As practitioners, they apply those findings to improve organizational practices.

Intuitions about human behavior are often wrong. Because of these biases, research is essential to avoid faulty conclusions. People have cognitive biases that distort judgment,

including:

Bias Definition Work Psychology Example Anchoring Bias Relying too heavily on the first piece of information encountered when making decisions.In salary negotiations, the first number mentioned strongly influences the final offer, even if it’s unreasonable.Availability Heuristic Overestimating the importance of information that is easiest to recall.After hearing about one high-profile case of workplace theft, a manager assumes theft is common and imposes stricter policies.Bandwagon Effect Adopting beliefs or behaviors because others do. This is a powerful form of groupthink A team adopts a new productivity app because “everyone else is using it,” without assessing its actual value.Blind Spot Bias Recognizing biases in others but failing to see them in oneself.A manager accuses others of favoritism in promotions but denies having any personal bias when promoting their own preferred employee.Choice- Supportive Bias When you choose something you tend to feel positive about it, even if that choice has flaws.After a failed hire, a recruiter insists the candidate was “still a good choice at the time” and downplays red flags from the interview.Clustering Illusion Seeing patterns or trends in random or unrelated data.The idea that red is fare more or less likeley to turn up on a roulette table after a string of reds. 2 / 4

3 Confirmation Bias Seeking information that supports existing beliefs and ignoring contradictory evidence.A supervisor believes younger employees are less committed and only pays attention to instances that confirm that view.Conservatism Bias Clinging to existing beliefs despite new or better evidence.Despite new research showing remote teams are more productive, senior leaders insist that office work is superior.

How Research Is Conducted

Research in Work Psychology follows a structured process:

o Step 1 – Idea or Question: simply put

Identify a workplace issue, for example: “Does noise affect employee performance?”

o Step 2 – Hypothesis or Prediction: what will happen

Formulate a prediction, for example: “High levels of noise will increase the number of errors made.”

o Step 3 – Theory or Explanation: why it will happen

Provide an explanation, such as: “Noise distracts employees, reducing focus.”

Types of Research Locations: The setting matters because it influences

the realism and generalizability of research results.

• Laboratory Research – conducted in controlled settings; allows manipulation of

variables.

• Field Research – conducted in real organizations; provides higher external validity.
• Survey Studies – collect self-reported data from participants.

Research Participants • Employees: Provide realistic, work-related insights but may be harder to recruit.• Students: Commonly used for convenience, though findings may not always generalize to actual workplace contexts.• Sample Size: Larger samples produce more reliable and representative results Lecture 2 – Individual Differences Differences between people are not something that divide us; they enrich and strengthen us. In the workplace, understanding how individuals differ helps organizations make better decisions about hiring, training, motivation, and performance. Work psychology looks closely at two main areas of individual differences: intelligence (or cognitive ability) and personality. Both play essential roles in determining how people behave at work and how well they perform their jobs.What Is Intelligence?According to Gottfredson (1997), intelligence is a general mental capability that involves reasoning, planning, problem-solving, abstract thinking, understanding complex ideas, and learning quickly from experience. It’s not simply “book learning” or the ability to do well on tests—it represents a deeper ability to make sense of our surroundings, to “catch on,” to “figure things out,” and to use information effectively in real situations. In essence, intelligence allows us to adapt to new challenges, solve problems, and learn from both success and failure. 3 / 4

4 The idea of measuring intelligence was first introduced in the early 20th century by William Stern, who coined the term IQ—short for intelligence quotient. Shortly after, Alfred Binet developed the first formal IQ test at the request of the French government. The goal was practical: to identify schoolchildren who needed extra help. Since then, intelligence testing has been refined and widely used—not only in education but also in workplaces, recruitment, and research.

Models of Intelligence As psychologists studied intelligence further, several models emerged to explain its structure and variety. Vernon’s Model divided intelligence into two broad categories.• The first, verbal intelligence, includes skills such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking—abilities essential for communication and understanding • The second, spatial or mechanical intelligence, involves visualizing and manipulating objects, solving puzzles, building, or designing. People often differ in how strong they are in each area.

Later, Raymond Cattell proposed another important distinction:

• Crystallized intelligence refers to the knowledge and skills we gain through experience and education—our vocabulary, facts, and accumulated wisdom.• Fluid intelligence, on the other hand, is our ability to solve new problems, identify patterns, and think logically without relying on prior knowledge.Together, they form a complete picture of intelligence — combining potential (Gf) and accumulated knowledge (Gc).You might think of crystallized intelligence as the contents of a bookshelf (what you already know) and fluid intelligence as your ability to organize those books or understand a new topic you’ve never seen before.One of the most influential models comes from Charles Spearman, who discovered that people who perform well on one type of cognitive task often perform well on others too. He proposed the idea of a general intelligence factor, or “g”, which underlies all mental abilities. This means that while people may have specific strengths and weaknesses, there is a shared mental energy or efficiency that affects performance across different domains. In modern terms, “g” can be thought of as the overall engine powering various intellectual abilities, such as memory, reasoning, learning speed, and problem- solving.Popular culture often equates intelligence with being a “genius” or a “savant,” like fictional characters who can instantly recall facts or perform extraordinary calculations. However, these extreme cases are rare. Most intelligent people don’t possess savant abilities, and true genius is about broad problem-solving and creativity, not just narrow exceptional talent.

• / 4