Applied Psychology

1
Chapter 20

• Applied Psychology

2
Industrial-Organizational Psychology (I-O)

• Applied Psychology Use of psychological
  principles and research methods to solve
  practical problems
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology (I-O)
  Focuses on psychology of people at work and in
  organizations
• Typically work in
• Testing and placement
• Human relations at work

3
Other Aspects of I-O Psychology

• Personnel Psychology Branch of I-O psychology
  concerned with testing, selection, placement, and
  promotion
• Job Analysis Detailed description of skills,
  knowledge, and activities required by a
  particular job
• Critical Incidents Situations where competent
  employees must be able to cope
• Biodata Detailed biographical information

4
Fig. 20.1 Analyzing complex skills has also been
valuable to the U.S. Air Force. When
milliondollar aircraft and the lives of pilots
are at stake, it makes good sense to do as much
training and research as possible on the ground.
Air force psychologists use flight simulators
like the one pictured here to analyze the complex
skills needed to fly jet fighters. Skills can
then be taught without risk on the ground. The
General Electric simulator shown here uses a
computer to generate full-color images that
respond realistically to a pilots use of the
controls. (Photograph supplied courtesy of
General Electric Company.)
5
Psychological Testing

• Vocational Interest Tests Paper-and-pencil test
  that assesses a persons interests and matches
  them to interests found in successful workers in
  various occupations
• Strong Campbell Interest Inventory is one such
  example
• Aptitude Tests Rate a persons potential to
  learn skills or tasks used in various occupations

6
Psychological Testing (cont.)

• Multimedia Computerized Tests Use computers to
  present realistic work situations
• Police officers will run through various
  situations where they have to decide whether or
  not to use force, for example
• Assessment Centers Do in-depth evaluations of
  potential employees often set up within
  organizations

7
Psychological Testing (cont.)

• Situational Judgment Tests Present difficult but
  realistic work situations to potential employees
  in order to rate and evaluate their performance
• In-Basket Test Simulates decision making
  challenges that executives face
• Basket full of memos is given to applicant, and
  applicant must act appropriately as quickly as
  possible
• Leaderless Group Discussion Test of leadership
  that simulates group decision making and problem
  solving

8
Management Theories

• Scientific Management (Theory X) Approach to
  managing employees that emphasizes work
  efficiency
• Psychological Efficiency Maintaining good
  morale, labor relations, employee satisfaction,
  and similar aspects of work behavior
• Happy workers are productive workers
• Theory Y Emphasizes human relations at work
  sees people as industrious, responsible, and
  interested in challenging work

9
More Management Strategies

• Participative Management Employees at all levels
  are directly involved in decision making
• Management by Objectives Workers are given
  specific goals to meet so they can know if they
  are doing a good job
• Self-Managed Team Group of employees who work
  together toward shared goals
• Quality Circles Voluntary employee discussion
  groups that look to improve quality and look for
  ways to solve business problems

10
Job Satisfaction and Enrichment

• Job Satisfaction Degree to which a person is
  comfortable and satisfied with his or her work
• Job satisfaction is highest when (listed in order
  of importance)
• Work is interesting
• Enough help and equipment exist to get job done
• Enough information to get job done
• Enough authority to get job done
• Note that nothing relating to pay is listed in
  the top four (pay is ranked fifth)!
• Job Enrichment Making a job more personally
  rewarding, interesting, or intrinsically
  motivating

11
How People Cope With Work Dilemmas

• Four Basic Coping Styles
• Vigilant Most effective individuals evaluate
  information objectively and make decisions
  clearly understanding alternatives
• Complacent Let chance direct their career
  decisions and tend to be nonchalant, not making
  plans
• Defensive-Avoidant Aware of all risks and
  opportunities, but are uncomfortable making
  decisions. Thus they tend to procrastinate,
  rationalize, and make excuses for inaction and
  indecision
• Hypervigilant Panic when forced to make career
  decisions. Making logical decisions is almost
  impossible for this type

12
Environmental Psychology

• Concerned with the relationship between
  environments and human behavior. Interested in
• Physical Environments Natural or constructed
• Social Environments Groups of people, such as at
  a dance, party, or business meeting.
• Behavioral Settings Smaller areas within an
  environment whose use is well defined, e.g.,
  office, casino, classroom, or locker room

13
Territoriality

• Territorial Behavior Any behavior that tends to
  define a space as ones own or that protects it
  from intruders
• Territorial Markers Objects and other signals
  that indicate ownership or control of a
  particular area
• Gates, pictures, plants, posters, decorations
• Check your psychology professors office to find
  some examples of territorial markers

14
Crowding and Noise

• Crowding Subjective feelings of being
  overstimulated by social inputs or loss of
  privacy
• When crowding causes a loss of control over ones
  immediate social environment, stress can result
• John Calhouns Horrible Mousery (1962) is a
  good example of how overcrowding can affect mice
• Attentional Overload Stressful condition that
  occurs when sensory stimulation, information, and
  social contacts make excessive demands on
  attention

15
Crowding and Noise (cont.)

• Noise Pollution Stressful, annoying, and
  intrusive noise. Usually generated by machines
  (jackhammers, sirens, planes)
• Architectural Psychology Study of the effects
  buildings have on behavior buildings can be
  designed using psychological and behavioral
  principles
• Making rooms with more space and more light,
  having bathrooms in the middle of the hall
  higher or lower ceilings
• Feng Shui

16
Fig. 20.2 Population growth has slowed slightly
in recent years, but world population still
threatens to double again in less than 40 years
(graph source Population Institute).
Overpopulation and rapid population growth are
closely connected with environmental damage,
international tensions, and rapid depletion of
non-renewable resources. Some demographers
predict that if population growth is not limited
voluntarily before it reaches 10 billion, it will
be limited by widespread food shortages, disease,
infant mortality, and early death (Erlich
Erlich, 1990).
17
CNN - Single Child Policy
18
Fig. 20.3 An architectural solution for crowding.
Psychologists divided a dorm hall like that shown
in the left diagram (a) into two shorter halls
separated by unlocked doors and a lounge area
(b). This simple change minimized unwanted social
contacts and greatly reduced feelings of crowding
among dorm residents. (Adapted from Baum Davis,
1980.)

19
Teaching Styles

• Direction Instruction Factual information
  presented by lecture, demonstration, and rote
  practice
• Open Teaching Active student-teacher discussion
  is emphasized

20
Psychology of Law

• Study of behavioral dimensions of legal system
• Jury Behavior
• Jurors rarely can put aside biases, attitudes,
  and beliefs when making a decision
• Jurors are not very good at separating evidence
  from other information
• Final verdict is often influenced by inadmissible
  evidence
• Jurors cannot suspend judgment until all
  information is in opinion often formed early in
  trial

21
Jury Selection

• Mock Jury Group that realistically simulates a
  courtroom jury
• Scientific Jury Selection Social science
  principles are applied to jury selection process
• Gather demographic information
• Perform community survey to get information about
  attitudes towards case
• Look for authoritarian personality traits in
  potential jurors
• Tend to believe that punishment is effective and
  more likely to vote to convict
• Look at nonverbal behavior
• Death-Qualified Jury Jury composed of people who
  favor death penalty or are at least indifferent
  to it

22
CNN Death Penalty/Prejudice
23
Sports Psychology

• Study of behavioral dimensions of sports
  performance
• Task Analysis Breaking sports skills into
  subparts so that key elements can be identified
  and taught
• Motor Skills Series of actions molded into a
  smooth and efficient performance
• Mental Practice Imagining a skilled performance
  to help learning
• Peak Performance Physical, emotional, and mental
  states are harmonious and optimal

24
Effective Communication

• State Your Ideas Clearly and Decisively
• Do Not Overuse Big Words
• Avoid Excessive Use of Jargon or Slang
• Avoid Loaded Words Words that have strong
  emotional meanings should be avoided
• Use Peoples Names

25
Being a Good Listener

• Make an Honest Effort to Pay Attention
• Try to Identify the Speakers Purpose Look for
  main themes and not isolated facts
• Suspend Evaluation
• Check Your Understanding
• Pay Attention to Nonverbal Messages
• Accept Responsibility for Effective Communication

26
Space Psychology Visions of Arthur C. Clarke?

• Space Psychologists Study behavioral challenges
  that accompany space flight and life in
  restricted environments
• Some potential problems psychologists have
  studied
• General Environment How to handle lack of
  showers, etc.
• Privacy
• Sensory Restriction

27
More Potential Problems in Space

• Cultural Differences
• Social Isolation
• Conflict Resolution
• Mental Health