Organisational Psychology Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is Organisational Psychology?
The scientific study of behaviour in the workplace which uses an evidence-based approach to understand the factors that affect an organization and its members.
What are the three areas of focus?
Individual Level, Group/Team Level and Organisational Level.
What is the main goal of organisational psychologists?
To improve work performance and job satisfaction of employees, and enhance overall organisational performance.
What is meant by a ‘valid’ measure in organisational psychology?
A measure that does what it is intended to do.
What is meant by a ‘reliable’ measure?
A measure that produces consistent results across multiple occasions.
List three roles an organisational psychologist might perform.
Recruitment and selection, performance management, change management (others, wellbeing, career development, etc.)
What are the three types of organisations?
Government, commercial, and not-for-profit.
What is the difference between objective and subjective data?
Objective data is verifiable and consistent; subjective data is based on personal observation.
What is the Critical Incident Technique (CTI)?
A method for analysing specific instances of effective or ineffective employee behaviour.
What is a 360-degree appraisal?
A performance review that gathers feedback from a variety of sources, including peers, subordinates, and supervisors.
What is vocational guidance?
Helping individuals choose appropriate careers based on interests, personality and abilities.
What theory supports vocational guidance decisions?
Holland’s Theory of Vocational Choice.
Name two advantages of Holland’s theory.
It is easy to understand and widely used in career assessments.
What study looked at job preferences over 30 years?
Jurgensen’s Job Preferences Study
What is personnel selection?
The process of identifying and hiring the most suitable individuals for a job.
What types of bias can appear in job advertisements?
Gender bias, racial bias, age bias, disability bias, elitism, and biased job titles.
What ethical considerations must psychological testing in recruitment meet?
Informed consent, confidentiality, privacy, protection from deception, and debriefing.
What does Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggest?
People are motivated to fulfil basic needs before moving on to higher-level needs.
What is the main idea behind Vroom’s Expectancy Theory?
Motivation is driven by the expectation that effort will lead to desired performance and rewards.
What is the focus of Belbin’s Team Roles theory?
Effective teams need a balance of different behavioural roles.
What is ‘groupthink’?
When group decision-making leads to poor outcomes due to pressure for consensus.
Name two active conflict-resolution strategies.
Collaborating and compromising (others: competing, avoiding, accommodating).
What is organisational culture?
The shared values, beliefs, and practices that shape the work environment.
What are the three levels of Schein’s organisational culture?
Visible artefacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions.
