Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology (3rd Edition) - Hardcover

Sarah Smith Orr is president of Smith Orr & Associates in Pasadena, California. She is a consultant and coach for executives and organizations with a specialty in nonprofit leadership and for men and women making a passage through a life transition.

Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology provides an inviting and comprehensive introduction to the field of industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology. Two important themes guided the writing of this textbook. First, because I/O psychology is a field with both a strong scientific base and an applied orientation, the book demonstrates the connection between psychological theory and application: Theoretical concepts are shown to lead to useful interventions. Second, this book was designed and written with the student in mind. Whenever possible, the text draws on examples and illustrations from the world of work that students understand. For instance, many work-setting examples include service industries, such as retail chains and fast food restaurants, rather than concentrating solely on traditional office or factory work settings.

Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology is an introductory textbook that appeals to a wide range of students with varying academic backgrounds. It is designed for use in undergraduate survey courses in I/O psychology or in psychology of work behavior courses, and is suited for courses that contain a mix of psychology majors and nonmajors. The text is appropriate for courses at four-year colleges and universities, as well as two-year, community colleges. While the book is written at a level that makes the material accessible to students who are relatively new to the field of psychology, the coverage of topics is comprehensive. The text includes "classic" theories and research along with the latest developments and innovations to make this a thorough and challenging overview of the field.

What's New: The Fourth Edition

A great deal has happened in the world of work since the last edition. The rise and fall of dot.com companies, the volatility of the stock market, the changing nature of work (virtual work organizations, increasing globalization and diversity, etc.), and research on work behavior continues to grow. This edition reflects those changes, while retaining the core that those people familiar with this book will recognize. As in previous editions, this edition is thoroughly referenced and designed as a resource for both the teacher and student a resource that gives a comprehensive overview but can also be used as a starting point for advanced investigations into the field of 1/O psychology.

The major changes and additions in this edition are as follows:

• More of the text is devoted to the "I" side of I/O Psychology, with updated chapters on job analysis, including coverage of O*NET, a greatly expanded chapter on employee screening, testing and selection, and a change in ordering, so that performance appraisals, and discussion of criterion issues, immediately follows the chapter on selection.
• Greatly expanded coverage of job satisfaction and work stress, with inclusion of information about work conditions (Chapter 16 from the 3rd edition), as well as sections on positive and negative emotions and behaviors in the workplace.
• A new Chapter 15, providing an overview of two areas related to I/O Psychology Human Factors and Occupational Health Psychology.
• Thoroughly updated. The latest research on each key topic has been included. There are more than 300 new references. Again, students will find this an excellent resource for term papers and in their future coursework.
• Expanded instructor's manual and ancillaries. The instructor's manual and testbank has been expanded and updated, and includes exercises and additional material.

Text Structure

Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology is divided into five parts. Part One provides an introduction to the field and an overview of research methods used by I/O psychologists. Part Two covers employee and personnel issues, including separate chapters on job analysis, employee selection, evaluating employee performance, and employee training. Part Three is called "Worker Issues" and deals with processes that are worker-centered: worker motivation, job satisfaction, and stress. Part Four covers organizational topics that are group-oriented: communication, group processes, leadership, organizational power and politics, organizational structure, and culture and development. Part Five deals with areas related to I/O psychology, including the topics of human factors psychology and occupational health psychology.

Special features included in each chapter of Introduction to Industrial/ Organizational Psychology complement the text narrative and provide further illustrations and examples of I/O psychology in the "real world." One of these features, "Applying I/O Psychology," takes some of the theoretical and research material presented in the chapter and shows how I/O psychologists apply this knowledge to make positive changes in actual work settings. A second feature, "Up Close" (which is particularly student-oriented), provides students with practical information concerning how I/O psychology can increase understanding of everyday work situations. A third feature, "On the Cutting Edge," highlights more current areas of research or practice in I/O psychology. "Inside Tips," found at the beginning of each chapter, is designed to connect chapters and help students see the "big picture" of the field of I/O psychology, as well as to provide specific study tips.

The chapters are designed to facilitate learning. Each chapter begins with an outline of the topics and ends with a chapter summary and a series of study questions/exercises that help students review and think about the chapter material. "Stop and Review" questions are strategically placed in the margins. These questions are designed to allow the student to "self-test" whether she or he has retained important material just read or studied. A glossary of key terms also appears throughout the chapters, with amore complete alphabetical glossary at the end of the book.

The text is complemented by an instructor's resource book prepared by Heidi Riggio, Amber Garcia, and me. We have worked hard to make this ancillary package the best available. It includes detailed outlines, suggestions for lectures, discussion questions, in-class exercises, audiovisual resources, transparency masters, and other special features.

To the Student (Please don't skip this. It will help.)

This book was written for you. When I decided to write the first edition of this text in 1987, I did so because my students complained about the texts I had been using. I was not happy with them either. They simply weren't accessible. They were too technical and not "student friendly." So, when I wrote this book (and subsequent editions), I have tried to keep my students in mind every step of the way. I have tried to keep the book current, readable, and relevant to students' current and future working lives. There are special features, such as the "Stop and Review" questions that were created to help you determine if you are retaining the material you are reading and studying.

This text is set up to cover the broad-ranging field of I/O psychology, and I've tried to keep it interesting and lively. In addition, the text is designed, not only to maximize learning, but to be a resource book for continued explorations of the field of I/O psychology. For instance, there is career and educational information about the field, and the book is very thoroughly referenced. Although some students may find it distracting to have points referenced with "(Author, year)" throughout, these references will be extremely useful in finding starting points for term papers or future. exploration. I hope that you will find this text an important, permanent addition to your personal library. It is a book that can be used in future scholarly work and you will find it a useful reference in your later career.

I would like to thank the student readers of previous editions for their valuable input, suggestions, and comments about the text. Please let me hear from you, as well.

How to Read and Study this Book

This book is set up to maximize your learning about industrial/organizational psychology. Key terms are set in boldface type when they are fiat discussed, and brief definitions of these terms appear in the adjacent margins (longer definitions are at the end in a glossary). You should look over the key terms before you begin reading a chapter and then alert yourself to them as you read. As you move along you can test yourself by using the margin definitions. Of course, the key terms deal only with major points in each chapter for there is much more to mastering the material. Not only should you be able to define important terms and concepts, but you should also know how they apply to work behavior. As you learn the important points made throughout the book, stop occasionally and ask yourself such questions as, "How does this apply to the working world that I know?" "Have I seen examples of this concept before?" "How can the material that I am learning be applied in my own working life?" "How can this new information help me to see work and work behavior in a new way?"

Also located in the margins are brief "Stop and Review" questions. Their purpose is to stop you at certain points in your reading/studying, so that you can go back and review the material just covered. Often, students find that they get caught up in the reading, and they forget to retain or "encode" the material for later recall. The review questions are intended to help you check if you are retaining important pieces of information.

Three other chapter features are also set off from the text. The first, "Applying 1/O Psychology," deals with specific applications of I/O psychology theories or concepts. The "Up Close" feature offers helpful research-based information that can further your understanding of your past, present, or future world of work. These usually take a how-to approach to some common issue or problem at work. Finally, "On the Cutt...