Lecture 1: Introduction to Work Psychology
Work Psychology is defined as the study of the behaviour and motivation of employees doing the
work. It is distinct from Organizational Psychology, which focuses on the context around the work,
and Personnel Psychology, which deals with person-job fit. Psychology generally examines behaviour,
motivations, thoughts, and emotions. Work itself is characterized as goal-directed behaviour,
coordinated activity, performed in exchange for something.
The Importance of Work is highlighted by its ability to provide time structure, regular activity,
opportunities for social contact, a shared common purpose, social identity, status, and personal
development.
Early Work Psychology (1850-1930) emerged after the industrial revolution, characterized by factory
work, poor conditions (long hours, low wages, minimal protection), division of labour, and simple,
repetitive tasks. The key question was how to motivate workers and increase productivity.
- Scientific Management (Taylorism) aimed to maximise efficiency based on two assumptions:
employees are (1) lazy and (2) stupid.
To tackle stupidity: tasks were simplified and standardized, complex tasks divided
into simple subtasks, the "one best way" to perform subtasks was determined and
employees trained accordingly, and the best employees were selected for each
subtask.
To tackle laziness: managers extensively supervised and controlled employees, and
pay-for-performance systems were implemented.
Impact of Taylorism: It led to short-term increases in productivity but long-term low
work morale (disengaged employees, high sickness absence, angry unions, strikes).
- Human Relations Movement (1930-present) shifted focus to adapting work to people,
emphasizing human needs and limitations, working conditions, well-being, motivation, and
satisfaction.
Contemporary Work Psychology focuses on maximising productivity while safeguarding employee
well-being/health, with the objective of sustainable performance. This involves considering task
requirements, worker characteristics, and worker health and well-being.
The X-model is a framework to understand work and the people doing it, aimed at preventing
burnout and increasing productivity. It consists of five blocks:
- Block 1: Work characteristics – includes work content (tasks, workload, autonomy,
complexity, variety, role, responsibilities, role ambiguity), working conditions (physical
demands, safety, technology, ergonomics, hygiene, hazardous substances), working
relationships (social support, social safety, psychological contract, leadership, teamwork), and
terms of employment (working times, pay, benefits, job security, career prospects).
- Block 2: Personal characteristics – covers personality, experience, physical capacities, and
information processing capacity (habitual/trait and current differences like fatigue and
motivation).
- Block 3: Work behaviour – described as coordinated, goal-directed activities requiring
sustained effort (mental/physical) in exchange for something.
- Block 4: Work outcomes – refers to quality and quantity of products/services, environmental
changes, and financial results.
, - Block 5: Personal outcomes – includes health and well-being (e.g., stress) and job
satisfaction.
Blocks 4 and 5 represent outcomes for the organization and person, which may
sometimes clash, highlighting the importance of sustainable employability.
- Feedback loops illustrate how outcomes can influence characteristics, e.g., good
performance (4) leading to more difficult tasks (1), or wrist pain (5) leading to less resilience
(2).
Developments Relevant for Organizations influencing work (Block 1) and the workforce (Block 2)
include technologies, globalization, the pandemic, and ageing. Examples of changes include the shift
from physical to service/knowledge jobs, a more diverse workforce, increased flexibility (working
from home), the rise of platform companies, and changes in office spaces.
, Lecture 2: Research Methods in Work Psychology
Research in work psychology faces 3 central dilemmas (the "3-horned dilemma"), where maximizing
one comes at the expense of the other two:
1. Precision: Involves control over variables and other aspects of the study. Designs maximizing
precision often include laboratory studies.
2. Generalizability: The extent to which study results can be generalized to the population.
Longitudinal surveys typically aim to maximize generalizability.
3. Existential realism: The extent to which the design uses real tasks. Qualitative research
typically maximizes existential realism.
Hypothetical constructs, such as "positive affect," are concepts that are not directly observable but
are studied in research. Measurement levels for constructs include Nominal, Ordinal, Interval (evenly
distributed, 0 not included), and Ratio (0 included). Factor analysis is used to check internal
consistency, combining multiple items into a single measure.
Reliability is the extent to which a measurement reflects the "true" score and is free of random
errors, consistently measuring the same attribute. Validity is the extent to which a test measures
what it claims to measure. Issues related to validity include:
- Construct deficiency: When the measurement does not fully capture the intended construct.
- Construct contamination: When the test measures something else in addition to the
intended construct.
- Common method variance: When relationships can be explained by data collection methods
rather than true relationships.
Sampling sorts include:
- Probability sampling: Everyone has the same probability of being sampled.
- Stratified sampling: Dividing the population into groups and taking a random sample from
each.
- Non-probability samples and probability samples are most common in this field.
Other designs discussed include:
- Meta-analysis: Enhances generalizability.
- Literature review.
- Big data.
- Data from organizations (secondary data).
Upsides of secondary data: Readily available, cheap, organizational records enhance
existential realism, meta-analyses enhance generalizability.
Downsides: May not include desired constructs or have desired quality.
Key takeaways for research emphasize that no method does it all (each has trade-offs), mixed
methods help balance strengths and weaknesses, research is also used in business, and researchers
should know their goal and stay critical as methods shape findings and interpretations
Work Psychology is defined as the study of the behaviour and motivation of employees doing the
work. It is distinct from Organizational Psychology, which focuses on the context around the work,
and Personnel Psychology, which deals with person-job fit. Psychology generally examines behaviour,
motivations, thoughts, and emotions. Work itself is characterized as goal-directed behaviour,
coordinated activity, performed in exchange for something.
The Importance of Work is highlighted by its ability to provide time structure, regular activity,
opportunities for social contact, a shared common purpose, social identity, status, and personal
development.
Early Work Psychology (1850-1930) emerged after the industrial revolution, characterized by factory
work, poor conditions (long hours, low wages, minimal protection), division of labour, and simple,
repetitive tasks. The key question was how to motivate workers and increase productivity.
- Scientific Management (Taylorism) aimed to maximise efficiency based on two assumptions:
employees are (1) lazy and (2) stupid.
To tackle stupidity: tasks were simplified and standardized, complex tasks divided
into simple subtasks, the "one best way" to perform subtasks was determined and
employees trained accordingly, and the best employees were selected for each
subtask.
To tackle laziness: managers extensively supervised and controlled employees, and
pay-for-performance systems were implemented.
Impact of Taylorism: It led to short-term increases in productivity but long-term low
work morale (disengaged employees, high sickness absence, angry unions, strikes).
- Human Relations Movement (1930-present) shifted focus to adapting work to people,
emphasizing human needs and limitations, working conditions, well-being, motivation, and
satisfaction.
Contemporary Work Psychology focuses on maximising productivity while safeguarding employee
well-being/health, with the objective of sustainable performance. This involves considering task
requirements, worker characteristics, and worker health and well-being.
The X-model is a framework to understand work and the people doing it, aimed at preventing
burnout and increasing productivity. It consists of five blocks:
- Block 1: Work characteristics – includes work content (tasks, workload, autonomy,
complexity, variety, role, responsibilities, role ambiguity), working conditions (physical
demands, safety, technology, ergonomics, hygiene, hazardous substances), working
relationships (social support, social safety, psychological contract, leadership, teamwork), and
terms of employment (working times, pay, benefits, job security, career prospects).
- Block 2: Personal characteristics – covers personality, experience, physical capacities, and
information processing capacity (habitual/trait and current differences like fatigue and
motivation).
- Block 3: Work behaviour – described as coordinated, goal-directed activities requiring
sustained effort (mental/physical) in exchange for something.
- Block 4: Work outcomes – refers to quality and quantity of products/services, environmental
changes, and financial results.
, - Block 5: Personal outcomes – includes health and well-being (e.g., stress) and job
satisfaction.
Blocks 4 and 5 represent outcomes for the organization and person, which may
sometimes clash, highlighting the importance of sustainable employability.
- Feedback loops illustrate how outcomes can influence characteristics, e.g., good
performance (4) leading to more difficult tasks (1), or wrist pain (5) leading to less resilience
(2).
Developments Relevant for Organizations influencing work (Block 1) and the workforce (Block 2)
include technologies, globalization, the pandemic, and ageing. Examples of changes include the shift
from physical to service/knowledge jobs, a more diverse workforce, increased flexibility (working
from home), the rise of platform companies, and changes in office spaces.
, Lecture 2: Research Methods in Work Psychology
Research in work psychology faces 3 central dilemmas (the "3-horned dilemma"), where maximizing
one comes at the expense of the other two:
1. Precision: Involves control over variables and other aspects of the study. Designs maximizing
precision often include laboratory studies.
2. Generalizability: The extent to which study results can be generalized to the population.
Longitudinal surveys typically aim to maximize generalizability.
3. Existential realism: The extent to which the design uses real tasks. Qualitative research
typically maximizes existential realism.
Hypothetical constructs, such as "positive affect," are concepts that are not directly observable but
are studied in research. Measurement levels for constructs include Nominal, Ordinal, Interval (evenly
distributed, 0 not included), and Ratio (0 included). Factor analysis is used to check internal
consistency, combining multiple items into a single measure.
Reliability is the extent to which a measurement reflects the "true" score and is free of random
errors, consistently measuring the same attribute. Validity is the extent to which a test measures
what it claims to measure. Issues related to validity include:
- Construct deficiency: When the measurement does not fully capture the intended construct.
- Construct contamination: When the test measures something else in addition to the
intended construct.
- Common method variance: When relationships can be explained by data collection methods
rather than true relationships.
Sampling sorts include:
- Probability sampling: Everyone has the same probability of being sampled.
- Stratified sampling: Dividing the population into groups and taking a random sample from
each.
- Non-probability samples and probability samples are most common in this field.
Other designs discussed include:
- Meta-analysis: Enhances generalizability.
- Literature review.
- Big data.
- Data from organizations (secondary data).
Upsides of secondary data: Readily available, cheap, organizational records enhance
existential realism, meta-analyses enhance generalizability.
Downsides: May not include desired constructs or have desired quality.
Key takeaways for research emphasize that no method does it all (each has trade-offs), mixed
methods help balance strengths and weaknesses, research is also used in business, and researchers
should know their goal and stay critical as methods shape findings and interpretations
