Industrial and Organization Psychology - Research Paper Example

The industrial and organizational psychology is the science of studying and researching the daily activities of the employees in their stations of work or organizations. It is also known by names like personal psychology and work psychology. It, therefore, entails the exploration of an individual in his working space, the things one likes or hates about his job, and how they relate with those they works with and for. The psychologists who practice this in a firm have an important value as they increase success of the firm by an improvement in the performance, and the well being of the people (Jeffrey, Conte, & Landy, 2011). One would identify ways of improving individual’s behaviors and attitudes through trainings such as leadership trainings, hiring practices, evaluating company policies, and conducting leadership. It is also helpful to have a feedback system that tracks the changes. Therefore, this form of psychology aims to increase productivity in the workplace, and ensure that the employees have good state of physical and mental health (Lefkowitz, 2003). Among the major subjects of industrial organization psychology is: Motivation in the workplace Motivation is the energy, drive, or determination one would put in completing a task. Therefore, knowing what motivates the individuals is a major ingredient for learning the employees’ psychology, and being able to predict their likely actions. Since this motivation differs between individuals, it needs to be in combination with other environmental factors for effective performance. Many scholars concur that motivation has three succinct psychological processes (Sydney & Duane, 2002). First is arousal. This is the reason that initiates the act due to ones desire for something. Second is direction. This is the route course that these employees take for themselves in order to achieve their pre-determined goals and targets. Lastly is intensity. This is the amount of energy and degree of vigor that the individual is willing and intends to inject to achieve their goals (Craigtheyad & Irving, 2010).Motivation has certain functions like giving the employees the psyche to put more effort to achieve their goals; it will also make the individual work by directing his attention on a specific job or task; it gives the individual some task strategies which will direct him on how to behave so as to achieve their desired goals. Finally, it creates the spirit of positive persistence on the individual; hence one does not deviate from achieving their goal (Koppes, 2007). The theories put forward to explain employee motivation are the need based theories, behavioral theories, job based and cognitive processes. Need-based theories This focus on what drives the employee to fulfill certain wants in his work, be it for mere survival, psychological or even emotionally related. According to Maslow’s theory, an employee has a priority list to satisfy their needs. First, their need to survive like buying food for their daily meals, and those on a higher level would want to have safety by living in a good house that is placed in a secure neighborhood (Lydia, 1997). Their other needs are those of mental intellect like education to college levels and beyond, maybe being a professor or a patent holder in a given field. These also include psycho-emotional needs like the need to be loved by a spouse or close relative, esteem, and an area or group of belonging. The highest order of these needs is that of self actualization (Koenig. (2005). This theory was, however, found to have many flaws and did not predict the likely future behavior of an employee, because it also stated that an individual would want to fulfill their lower orders before doing those of higher hierarchies. The other need based theory is explained in a more realistic and accomplished need for achievement. It tries to give an explanation for the employees need, by showing how they want to achieve high levels yet want to minimize their risks as much as is possible. The motivation to achieve can be driven by the need for the advancement in their position of responsibility, need to be authoritative and regarded as a leader so that they can be emulated by others, and the desire to be affiliated to a certain social interactive group (Latham, 2007). Cognitive process theories The equity theory explains that one can be motivated in the workplace as a cognitive process done through evaluation. The employee wants to know that the returns they get are worth what they are giving to the organization in terms of energy and even intellectual knowledge. These could be their equity in compensation. If the individual has a feeling that they are inadequately compensated, they will change their behavior by maybe reducing their input, standard levels or even withdrawing from the firm. The way to improve on this would be to give employees a pay raise. The expectancy theory explains that an employee would put more effort in a role if they knew that they would be rewarded for their additional effort. The expectancy theory equation can then be used as a system to help in rewarding the individuals (King, Marques & Satinder 2009). Behavioral approach to motivation This approach can also be called Organizational Behavioral Modification. B.F Skinner discovered some tenets of behaviors that the employer may apply to encourage those characteristics that improve and are beneficial to the firm and discourage the negative ones. When there is befitting conduct, the manager encourages the individual to continue doing it. The converse happens when reinforcing behavior that is not wanted (Jeffrey, Conte, & Landy, 2011). Job-based theories These are of the opinion that what motivates the employee is the job itself in that by its inherent design, the individual is just encouraged to do it. Therefore, the key to making an employee motivated in the work environment is to provide him with satisfaction from the content of the job itself (Lefkowitz, 2003). References Jeffrey M. Conte, Frank J. Landy. (2011). Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational behavior. New York: The McGraw Hill Company. Lefkowitz Joel. (2003). Ethics and values in industrial-organizational psychology. London: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates. Sydney Ellen Schultz, Duane P. Schultz. (2002). Psychology and work today: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology. Upper Saddle River: Prentice hall publishers. Edward W. Craigtheyad, Irving B. (2010). The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. New York: John Willey & sons Inc Koppes L. Laura. (2007). Historical perspectives in industrial and organizational psychology. London: Lawrence Elrbaum and Associates. Lydia, Banks. (1997). Motivation in the Workplace: Inspiring Your Employees. New York: American Media Publishing. Dorothy L. Koenig. (2005). Motivation in the workplace. Minnesota: College of St. Scholastica, Duluth. Latham P. Gary. (2007). Work motivation: history, theory, research, and practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Inc. Richard King, Joan Marques and Satinder Dhiman. (2009). The Workplace and Spirituality: New Perspectives on Research and Practice. New York: Skylight Path Publishers. Read More