The History of Industrial Psychology Industrial psychology is the psychology of individuals in the workplace.

It covers areas of workplace behavior and attitudes such as job satisfaction, leadership and the selection and evaluation of employees. An understanding of industrial psychology can help an individual to better understand and communicate with co-workers and deal with conflict. People have studied psychology and the human mind for centuries, but the specialty of industrial psychology did not appear until the early 1900s. Prior to World War I
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According to Dr. Patrick McCarthy's Brief Outline of the History of I/O Psychology, the father of industrial psychology is considered to be Hugo Munsterberg. Munsterberg published a book called "Psychology and Industrial Efficiency" in 1913 and addressed workplace issues such as selecting personnel and equipment and the work satisfaction of employees. Frederick W. Taylor was also considering similar ideas during this time period. He published "The Principles of Scientific Management" in 1911 that discussed how to increase productivity using training and motivation such as rest periods. World War I to 1940

During World War I, according to "A Brief History of Industrial Psychology in the U.S. Air Force," Robert Yerkes developed a testing and screening process for U.S. soldiers. Meanwhile, Walter Scott was developing a system to assign recruits into certain jobs and then evaluating the performance of the soldiers. In 1917, near the end of World War I, Journal of Applied Psychology was first published. According to Dr. Patrick McCarthy's Brief Outline of the History of I/O Psychology, after the war, in 1924, the Hawthorn studies were conducted. These studies were conducted by psychologists from Harvard University at the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company. The study was looking at how lighting affects worker efficiency. They found that efficiency increased with both increased and decreased lighting. After a period of time, and the researchers left, the efficiency level dropped off again. This is referred to as the Hawthorne Effect. World War II

According to "A Brief History of Industrial Psychology in the US Air Force," during World War II further research was conducted on equipment design, the selection and training for various positions and job classification. These studies were published in the Army Air Force Aviation Psychology Program Research Reports. Then, in 1946, American Psychological Association forms Division 14 with a group of Industrial/Organizational Psychologists. This Division later became the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. 1950s to 1970s

According to Dr. Patrick McCarthy's Brief Outline of the History of I/O Psychology, the human motivation theories presented by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow helped to further the movement and development of industrial psychology. In 1964, the workplace changed again when the Civil Rights Act made it unlawful to discriminate in the workplace based on things such as race, sex or religion. Then, in 1971, B.F. Skinner presented his motivational theories and how to use this understanding to modify workplace behavior in the book "Beyond Freedom and Dignity."

1980s and 1990s

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According to "A Brief History of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology," the first meeting of the National Conference of Graduate Students in Industrial-Organizational Psychology was held in 1980. The first of 11 volumes of Frontiers of Industrial and Organizational Psychology was published in 1986. The 1990s brought a lot of changes and new areas of research in the field. According to Dr. Patrick McCarthy's Brief Outline of the History of I/O Psychology, several US Supreme Court rulings on sexual harassment in the early 1990s brought attention psychology and law in the workplace. In the late 1990s, industrial psychology place further attention on violence in the workplace. Importance of Industrial Psychology The term industrial psychology refers to the science of psychology and its application to the workplace. Because of the high demand for industrial psychologists, the field has become one of the most lucrative within psychology. Those trained in industrial psychology can find work in a variety of fields ranging from research to the upper echelons of corporations. Specific tasks involve solving problems with employees on a broad scale, with their work affecting every level of an organization. Research

Industrial psychologists apply the scientific method to solve problems in the workplace. This involves tasks such as testing a new method of completing tasks at select locations to compare the outcomes of each technique. Hiring

As a result of research, industrial psychologists determine what qualities and skills to search for in potential employees. While they rarely participate in the interview process, industrial psychologists may design interview materials and strategies. Designing Tests

Industrial psychologists are frequently tasked with creating standardized tests to answer questions about employees and their work. This involves an in depth analysis of each question with complex statistical programs. Applying Tests

Because of the complexity of some tests, industrial psychologists choose appropriate tests, conduct tests, and interpret their results. After proctoring a test, the psychologist can determine the best course of action to remedy a problem. Changes Based on Research

After conducting extensive research and testing an industrial psychologist can propose changes to a business and its way of operating with solid statistical support.

Scope of Industrial Psychology Industrial psychology is a branch of behavioral science that directs its research and courses of study to business. It is not a new science. In fact one of the earlier books on the subject, Hugo Munsterbergs The Psychology of Industrial Efficiency was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1913. Departments of management, design, production, pricing, marketing and distribution all benefit from knowledge of industrial psychology. 1. Work Behavior: The psychology of work behavior is one form of industrial psychology. Attitudes of employees as related to their performance are a main theme. Variables in employee personalities and abilities are listed and situational and background differences are studied. The industrial psychologist also studies human mental and physical abilities, administering tests and assessing values and establishing job-related criteria. Human-error factors also are monitored, as are costs and causes of accidents. 2. Management: Many management skills fall under the umbrella of industrial psychology. Managers must be educated concerning the area of employee supervision. Expertise in perception and assessment is required in order to make proper decisions as to whether to promote or admonish. Determination of training needs and abilities to resolve conflict are skills that managers would learn in their study of industrial psychology. Motivational tactics are imperative to the success of industry, thus the industrial psychologist also may devise financial or other incentives. 3. Environmental Design: Environmental design is another area of industrial psychology. The psychology of the work space concerns the environment of the worker. Performance can be affected adversely or positively depending upon the employees surroundings. The industrial psychologist recommends physical arrangements, colors, noise, lighting and ergonomics. 4. Product Design: Product design is another avenue of industrial psychology that is important to a successful business. A product that has been designed bearing safety, efficiency and desirability in mind may have a higher chance of being successful in the marketplace. The industrial psychologist can collect data and analyze buying trends to make recommendations for a feasible, salable design. 5. Organizational Studies: The overall function of the business may be evaluated by the industrial psychologist. Data relating to job descriptions and hierarchy may be studied and recommendations put forth.