1. The 5 W’s of Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology
Dr. Russ Johnson University of South Florida

2. What is I/O psychology? Textbook definition: What I tell my folks:
“Application of psychological principles and theories to the workplace”
What I tell my folks:
“Study of how people get along at work and are able to perform effectively”

3. What is I/O psychology? Subareas within I/O
Industrial or personnel psychology
HR stuff: recruitment, job analysis, selection, training, performance appraisal, compensation, employment law (Title VII of CRA)
KSAs job performance
Organizational psychology
Micro: motivation, leadership, teams, worker attitudes, safety & well-being, work-family
Macro: org theory, culture, org development & change

4. What is I/O psychology? Subareas within I/O Human factors & ergonomics
Modifying equipment & env to fit workers

6. What is I/O psychology?
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
Division 14 of the American Psychological Association (APA)
Good overviews…
Textbooks by the two Pauls

7. Who are I/O psychologists?
Two general groups
Academics
Professors in research- and teaching oriented universities and colleges
Example departments: psychology, management, industrial relations, quantitative sciences, occupational health & safety
Major activities
Teaching courses, conducting research, writing and presenting research papers, attending conferences, mentoring students, performing university and professional service

8. Who are I/O psychologists?
Two general groups
Practitioners
HR and organizational specialists in consulting, private, and public organizations
Major activities
Job analysis, diagnosis, surveying employees, designing and administering selection & performance appraisal systems, training, developing psychological tests, implementing and evaluating OD & change, data analysis
“Other” category
Research institutes, think tanks (e.g., RAND)

9. Who are I/O psychologists?

10. Who are I/O psychologists?
Scientists AND practitioners
Understanding and evaluating research necessary for good practice…
…and awareness of practical problems necessary for good research
I/Oers are thieves!
We “borrow” from social, cognitive, developmental, clinical, and other areas of psychology

11. Where do you go to become an I/O psychologist?
Grad school!!!
Top PhD programs
Minnesota, Michigan State, Illinois (UIUC), Akron, Bowling Green, Penn State, George Mason, South Florida, Maryland
Good PhD programs (just a sampling!)
Central Florida, Florida Tech, Georgia Tech, Colorado State, Portland State, San Diego State
Want to be a Canuck? Waterloo, Western Ontario, Calgary, Guelph, St. Mary’s

12. Where do you go to become an I/O psychologist?
Typical grad school timeline
Lots of course work in years 1 and 2
MA thesis completed in year 2 or 3
Varies in formality by program
Internship?
Comprehensive exams in year 3
Dissertation in years 4 and 5
Proposal and defense meetings

13. Where do you go to become an I/O psychologist?
Other considerations…
PhD or MA program?
Psychology or business?
Application req’ts may vary (GRE vs. GMAT)
Coursework varies (social vs. strategy)
More stats and RM courses in psych
PhD in business is 100% research-focused
Thesis not typical in business
Funding better in business
Short-term vs. long-term considerations

14. When should you begin thinking about grad school in I/O psychology?
The sooner the better!
Stuff to think about early on
Relevant coursework
I/O (duh!), stats, research methods, tests & measures, social, personality, motivation, cognitive, OB/HR
Research experience
Honor’s thesis, RA
Experience is more important than topic
Interact with faculty, grad students
Be active (not passive)
Attend brownbags
Involvement in professional societies (Psi Chi, SIOP)

15. When should you begin thinking about grad school in I/O psychology?
Speaking of research assistance…
Erin Eatough is hiring 3 RAs for Spring semester
OHP study requiring help with…
Participant recruitment
Data collection
Data entry & management
Motivated RAs will have opportunities to contribute to presentation and publication of research

16. When should you begin thinking about grad school in I/O psychology?
Senior year
GRE
Positive correlation between study time and score
Allow time for make-up, if necessary
Subject GRE?
Application materials (due dates begin in Dec)
Recommendation letters
People who know you well and can comment on your scholarly potential
Personal statement
Get examples & seek feedback
Tailor them to programs

17. Why should you consider getting a degree in I/O psychology?
Applied field
There will always be practical problems to solve!
Company restructuring & downsizing
Workplace diversity
Variety of job possibilities
Academic positions in multiple departments
Internal and external consulting
Private and public organizations
Any combination of the above

18. Why should you consider getting a degree in I/O psychology?
Variety of research topics
Attitudes, emotions, behavior (social)
Learning, memory, heuristics (cog)
Employee aging, retirement (develop)
Employee counseling, coaching (clinical)
Data analysis, test development (quant)
Field is growing
More and more I/O and mgmt dept’s
Out with the old, in with the new…

19. Thank you!
Any more questions?