2.

5 I-OPSYCHOLOGYMETATHEORETICALPERSPECTIVES:
PAST, PRESENT AND EMERGING
The metatheoretical set of glasses (or thinking frameworks) used to engage with the science
and practice of I-O Psychology in the final instance must cover all of the building blocks
making up metatheoretical landscape (refer back to Figure 2.3). Table 2.8 provides an
overview of the pre- eminent metatheoretical perspectives on I-O Psychology – past, present
and emerging – which have been used/is used to conceive, understand, address, research
and deal with matters making up the science and practice of I-O Psychology as contained in
Worlds 3: Science and 4: Practice.
The specific perspectives form a high-level overview that focuses only on those building
blocks that significantly differentiate between perspectives. Therefore, not all of the building
blocks are included in Table 2.8, though all of the perspectives would have a stance on all of
the building blocks.
Having worked through all of the metatheoretical questions with their range of options and
positions, what are the referred metatheoretical perspectives given in Table 2.8 that you, as
a reader, will adopt and apply in the science and practice of I-O Psychology? What are your
reasons for adopting this perspective? Or, have you arrived at a different perspective as you
reviewed the different metatheoretical building blocks?
This leaves room to generate new or different metatheoretical perspectives for I-O
Psychology which may trigger new insights. What you would have noticed when comparing
Table 2.8 against the available options, is that certain metaphorical options have not been
used in the field of I- O Psychology.