The Two Sides of I-O Psychology

Industrial-organizational psychology is the branch of psychology that applies psychological
theories and principles to organizations. Often referred to as I-O psychology, this field focuses
on increasing workplace productivity and related issues such as the physical and mental well-
being of employees. Industrial-organizational psychologists perform a wide variety of tasks,
including studying worker attitudes and behavior, evaluating companies, and conducting
leadership training.
The overall goal of this field is to study and understand human behavior in the workplace.
The Two Sides of I-O Psychology
You can think of industrial-organizational psychology as having two major sides. First, there is
the industrial side, which involves looking at how to best match individuals to specific job roles.
This segment of I-O psychology is also sometimes referred to as personnel psychology.
People who work in this area might assess employee characteristics and then match these
individuals to jobs in which they are likely to perform well. Other functions that fall on the
industrial side of I-O psychology include training employees, developing job performance
standards, and measuring job performance.
The organizational side of psychology is more focused on understanding how organizations

affect individual behavior. Organizational structures, social norms, management styles, and role
expectations are all factors that can influence how people behave within an organization.
By understanding such factors, I-O psychologists hope to improve individual performance and
health while at the same time benefiting the organization as a whole.
How Is It Different?
While industrial-organizational psychology is an applied field, basic theoretical research is also

essential. With roots in experimental psychology, I-O psychology has a number of different sub-
areas such as human-computer interaction, personnel psychology, and human factors.
Six Key Areas
According to Muchinsky's book, "Psychology Applied to Work: An Introduction to Industrial

and Organizational Psychology," most industrial-organizational psychologists work in one of six
major subject areas:
 Training and development: Professional in this area often determine what type of skills
are necessary to perform specific jobs as well as develop and evaluate employee training
programs.
 Employee selection: This area involves developing employee selection assessments,
such as screening tests to determine if job applicants are qualified for a particular
position.
 Ergonomics: The field of ergonomics involves designing procedures and equipment
designed to maximize performance and minimize injury.
 Performance management: I-O psychologists who work in this area develop
assessments and techniques to determine if employees are doing their jobs well.
 Work life: This area focuses on improving employee satisfaction and maximizing the
productivity of the workforce. I-O psychologists in this area might work to find ways to
make jobs more rewarding or design programs that improve the quality of life in the
workplace.
 Organizational development: I-O psychologists who work in this area help improve
organizations, often through increasing profits, redesigning products, and improving the
organizational structure.
Important People in IO Psychology History
 Hugo Münsterberg
 Frederick W. Taylor
 Robert Yerkes
 James McKeen Cattell
 Elton Mayo
 Kurt Lewin
Who Should Study Industrial-Organizational Psychology?
Students who are interested in applying psychological principles to real-world setting should
consider industrial-organizational psychology. If you have a strong interest in psychology as well
as related subjects such as product design, computers, statistics and engineering, this may be the
ideal field for you.
Major Topics
 Product design
 Employee testing
 Leadership
 Workplace diversity
 Workplace performance
 Employee motivation
Careers
Interest in industrial-organizational psychology careers has grown. The U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics predicted that I-O psychology would be one of the fastest-growing careers, and wages
have been rising over 10 percent per year.
According to employment statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage
for I-O psychologists as of May 2016 was $104,570. The bottom 10 percent of I-O psychologists
earned around $52,950 and the top 10 percent earned an average of $184,380, with a median
annual wage of $82,760
As with other specialty areas, wages vary depending upon a variety of factors including
geographic location, educational background, the area of employment, and years of experience in
the field. Individuals with a master's or doctorate degree also command higher yearly salaries.
In general, those in large urban areas will find more employment opportunities as well as higher
wages, although such benefits are often accompanied by a higher cost of living. States employing
the most I-O psychologists include Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and New
Jersey. Professionals working in Virginia earned an average of $120,260, while those employed
in Massachusetts earned an average of $84,550.
The U.S. Department of Labor reports that wages also vary considerably depending upon the
industry in which industrial-organizational psychologists are employed. The mean annual wage
for various industries is as follows:
 Scientific Research and Development Services: $123,290

 Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: $98,600
 State Government: $78,340
 Colleges, Universities, and Professional School: $67,250

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Industrial-organizational psychology is the branch of psychology that applies psychological

The Two Sides of I-O Psychology

The organizational side of psychology is more focused on understanding how organizations

While industrial-organizational psychology is an applied field, basic theoretical research is also

Six Key Areas

According to Muchinsky's book, "Psychology Applied to Work: An Introduction to Industrial

Important People in IO Psychology History

Who Should Study Industrial-Organizational Psychology?

 Scientific Research and Development Services: $123,290

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