Industrial and organizational psychology

Lore & Background

The name change reflected a shift from addressing work behavior from an individual perspective to including group behavior. I-O psychologists are trained in the scientist–practitioner model, applying psychological theories and principles to organizations and individuals to improve job performance, wellbeing, motivation, job satisfaction, and health and safety.

Reader's Guide

Industrial and organizational psychology matters because it systematically applies psychological science to the central human activity of work. Its significance lies in bridging laboratory psychology with real-world economic and organizational problems, addressing both individual performance and worker well-being. The field's dual focus—industrial (individual differences, assessment, prediction of performance) and organizational (employee behavior, feelings, well-being)—has shaped modern human resources, training, and management practices. They also address the work–nonwork interface, including career transitions, burnout, unemployment, retirement, and work–family conflict. The field's international recognition, with protected titles in the UK, Australia, and South Africa, and a European specialist certificate (EuroPsy), underscores its global relevance. By optimizing both organizational effectiveness and individual health, I-O psychology contributes to sustainable work environments.

Did You Know?

• I-O psychology is known as occupational psychology in the United Kingdom and organisational psychology in Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.
• During World War I, Walter Dill Scott and Walter Van Dyke Bingham adapted the Stanford-Binet intelligence test into the Army Alpha for group testing of U.S. Army recruits.