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INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY &WORK ENVIRONMENT

(PGDM-HR 4.1)

UNIT-1

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UNIT-1

Meaning

History

Foundation/ Pillars Objectives

Scope & Importance

Applicability of Industrial Psychology

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MEANING OF PSYCHOLOGY

PSYCHOLOGY is the SYSTEMATICSTUDYOFHUMANAND

ANIMALBEHAVIOR.

It is the study of how humans behave as they relate to their

environment.

Psychology studies how the mind works and how the nervous

system helps the organism to adapt successfully to its

environment.

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HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF

INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Prior to World War I: Focus on how to increase

productivity using training and motivation such as

rest periods.

World War I to 1940: Hawthorne experiment World War II: Research was conducted on

equipment design, the selection and training for

various positions and job classification.

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CONTD

1950s to 1970s: Motivation theories presented by

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.

1980s and 1990s: Concerned with problems oforganization, communication process, employee-

employer relationship, leadership & its styles,

incentives (financial & non-financial), selection,

working conditions etc.

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FOUNDATION/ KEY PILLARS OF IP

i. Individual Differences:

- Basic assumption is that every person is different from

others.

- Individuals differ in physical characteristics, attitudes,personality, skills etc.

- Every person should be selected, trained & treated on the

basis of the kind of person he is.

- Scientific techniques have been developed to identify &measure individual differences in psychological factors.

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CONTD

ii. Causation of Human Behaviour:

- Assumes that human behaviour is caused.

- It is the situation which stimulates a person to behave in a

particular manner.- It is necessary to understand the causes of behaviour before

making an attempt to improve upon it.

- human behaviour is caused by needs which can be controlled

in order to get the desired results.- This concept is very helpful in the motivation of employees in

industry.

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OBJECTIVES

To improve the situation on the job.

To affect high morale and enthusiasm at work.

To restore the mental health of upset and confused

individuals.

To remove risks to health's or threats to safety.

To increase efficiency of people at work.

To increase productivity and hence the profits.

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IMPORTANCE OF IP

1. 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.

2. Hiring: As a result of research, industrial psychologists

determine what qualities and skills to search for in potential

employees

3. Designing Tests: Industrial psychologists are frequently

tasked with creating standardized tests to answer questionsabout employees and their work

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CONTD

4. Applying Tests: Because of the complexity of some tests,

industrial psychologists choose appropriate tests, conduct

tests, and interpret their results

5. 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.

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SCOPE OF IP

1. Work Behavior: Attitudes of employees as related to their

performance are a main theme.

2. Management: Many management skills fall under the

umbrella of industrial psychology.

3. Environmental Design: The psychology of the work space

concerns the environment of the worker.

4. Product Design: A product that has been designed bearing

safety, efficiency and desirability in mind may have a higher

chance of being successful in the marketplace.

5. Organizational Studies

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APPLICATIONS OF IP

a. Employment Testing: The psychologists have designedvarious tests to select right people for right job.

b. Designing Training & Development Programme: Thepsychologists help in determining the training needs of

employees, & designing the training programme which candeliver good results.

c. Job Evaluation: Psychologists have developed certainsystems of job evaluation to serve as a scientific of basiswage rate fixation.

d. Human Engineering: Concerned with designing & laying outof equipment in order to get the greater efficiency of man-machine system.

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CONTD..

e. Performance Appraisal: Industrial psychologists have helped

in replacing the traditional casual approach to performance

appraisal by the systematic technique of performance

appraisal.

f. Vocational Guidance & Counselling: Industrial psychologists

provide vocational guidance to the people who are in search

of jobs.

g. Motivation of Personnel & Improvement of Morale:

Industrial psychologists can help the management indesigning suitable system of incentives in order to motivate

the employees.