Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology

Specialist Option 4: Organisational Psychology.

• Organisational psychology is the study of behaviours within the workplace. Candidates will need to consider how social, physical and psychological environments affect individual and group behaviour in the workplace. For this option, candidates will look at aspects of job role, satisfaction, motivation, safety and leadership. Candidates should have the opportunity to explore the different issues and debates relevant to the psychological theories and concepts and the research methods used to investigate people working in organisations and workplaces. For all topics and studies, candidates should be able to:.
• describe, evaluate and compare the psychological theories, research, approaches, and explanations.
• describe and evaluate research methods and methodological concepts (for AS and A Level).
• consider how the topic area relates to psychological issues and debates (for AS and A Level).

This matters because organisational psychology overview determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply organisational psychology overview to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: Organisational Psychology overview is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Key studies for Organisational Psychology.

• Landry, A T, Zhang, Y, Papachristopoulos, K and Forest, J (2019), Applying Self-Determination Theory to.
• understand the motivational impact of cash rewards: New evidence from lab experiments. International Journal.
• of Psychology, 55(2): 487-98.
• Cuadrado, I, Morales, J F and Recio, P (2008), Women's access to managerial positions: an experimental study.

This matters because organisational psychology key studies determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply organisational psychology key studies to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: Organisational Psychology key studies is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

For each key study, candidates should know, understand and evaluate.

• the context of the study and relationship to other studies.
• the main theories/explanations included in the study.
• the aim(s) and hypotheses of the study [if stated].
• the design of the study, including all methodology as appropriate, such as the research method(s) used, sample size and demographics [if known] and sampling technique [if known], procedure, technique for data collection.

This matters because organisational psychology key-study requirements determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply organisational psychology key-study requirements to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: Organisational Psychology key-study requirements is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.1.1 Need theories.

• Maslow's hierarchy of needs including five needs, including a study, e.g. Saeednia (2011).
• McClelland's theory of achievement motivation including need for achievement, affiliation and power.
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: application to everyday life, individual and situational explanations, cultural differences, determinism versus free-will, validity.

This matters because —need theories determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —need theories to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Need theories is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.1.2 Cognitive theories.

• Latham and Locke's goal-setting theory including goal-setting principles.
• SMART goals.
• Vroom's VIE (expectancy) theory.
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: individual and situational explanations, cultural differences, reductionism versus holism, determinism versus free-will, idiographic versus nomothetic.

This matters because —cognitive theories determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —cognitive theories to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Cognitive theories is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.1.3 Motivators at work.

• extrinsic motivators at work: types of reward systems including pay, bonuses, profit-sharing, performance-related pay.
• intrinsic motivators at work: non-monetary rewards including praise, respect, recognition, empowerment and a sense of belonging.
• Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory including competence, autonomy and relatedness (exemplified by the following key study).
• Key study for applying self-determination theory to motivational rewards: Landry et al. (2019), focus on study 1, specifics of methodology from study 2 will not be needed.

This matters because —motivators at work determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —motivators at work to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Motivators at work is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.2.1 Traditional and modern theories of leadership.

• universalist theories including great person, charismatic, and transformational leaders.
• behavioural theories including Ohio University and Michigan University behavioural explanations.
• Heifetz's six principles in meeting adaptive challenges; responsibilities of an adaptive leader.
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: application to everyday life, individual and situational explanations, nature versus nurture, reductionism versus holism, generalisations.

This matters because —leadership theories determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —leadership theories to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Leadership theories is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.2.2 Leadership style.

• Muczyk and Reimann's four styles of leader behaviour.
• Scouller's levels of leadership including public, private and personal levels.
• Leadership style and gender (exemplified by the following key study).
• Key study on leadership style and gender: Cuadrado et al. (2008).

This matters because —leadership style determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —leadership style to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Leadership style is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.2.3 Leaders and followers.

• Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Practices Inventory including five practices.
• Kelley's (1988) followership including definition of followership, two dimensions and five followership styles.
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: application to everyday life, cultural differences, idiographic versus nomothetic, self-reports, psychometrics.

This matters because —leaders and followers determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —leaders and followers to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Leaders and followers is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.3.1 Group development and decision-making.

• Tuckman and Jensen's (2010) stages of group development.
• Belbin's nine team roles.
• faulty decision-making, explanations and strategies to avoid it:.
• groupthink including features with examples.

This matters because —group development determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —group development to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Group development is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.3.2 Individual and group performance.

• individual and group performance focusing on social facilitation and social loafing including definitions, drive theory and evaluation apprehension, social impact theory.
• group performance across cultures focusing on social loafing in individualistic and collectivist cultures, including a study, e.g. Earley (1993).
• performance monitoring of employee productivity (exemplified by the following key study).
• Key study looking at concentration levels when being monitored: Claypoole and Szalma (2019), focus on experiment 1, specifics of methodology for experiment 2 will not be needed.

This matters because —group performance determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —group performance to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Group performance is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.3.3 Conflict at work.

• levels of group conflict (intra-individual, inter-individual, intra-group and inter-group). Causes of organisational and interpersonal group conflict.
• Thomas-Kilmann's five conflict-handling modes.
• bullying at work; types, phases and causes, including a study, e.g. Einarsen (1999).
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: application to everyday life, individual and situational explanations, cultural differences, reductionism versus holism, idiographic versus nomothetic.

This matters because —conflict at work determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —conflict at work to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Conflict at work is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.4.1 Physical work conditions.

• impact of physical work conditions on productivity and the Hawthorne effect, e.g. Kompier (2006).
• impact of the design of the work environment focusing on open plan offices, including a study, e.g. Oldham and Brass (1979).
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: determinism versus free-will, experiments, questionnaires, longitudinal studies, quantitative and qualitative data.

This matters because —physical work conditions determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —physical work conditions to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Physical work conditions is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.4.2 Temporal conditions of work environments.

• design of work: shiftwork: rapid rotation and slow rotation, on-call and flexitime including definitions and examples of each.
• effects of shiftwork on health and accidents, including a study, e.g. Gold et al. (1992).
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: application to everyday life, determinism versus free-will, questionnaires, quantitative and qualitative data, validity.

This matters because —temporal work conditions determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —temporal work conditions to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Temporal work conditions is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.4.3 Health and safety.

• accidents at work focusing on human errors (errors of omission, commission, sequencing and timing) and system errors in operator-machine systems (machine controls and displays).
• reducing accidents at work: token economy, including a study, e.g. Fox et al. (1987).
• monitoring accidents (exemplified by the following key study).
• Key study on the monitoring of accidents and risk events: Swat (1997).

This matters because —health and safety determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —health and safety to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Health and safety is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.5.1 Theories of job satisfaction.

• theories of job satisfaction: Herzberg's two factor theory including hygiene and motivational factors.
• Hackman and Oldham's job characteristics theory including job characteristics and psychological states.
• techniques of job design: enrichment, rotation and enlargement, e.g. Belias and Sklikas, (2013).
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: application to everyday life, cultural differences, reductionism versus holism, idiographic versus nomothetic, generalisations.

This matters because —theories of job satisfaction determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —theories of job satisfaction to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Theories of job satisfaction is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.5.2 Measuring job satisfaction.

• job satisfaction rating scales and questionnaires focusing on the job descriptive index (JDI).
• Walton's quality of working life (QWL) including eight dimensions to evaluate QWL.
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: individual and situational explanations, quantitative and qualitative data, psychometrics, validity, reliability.

This matters because —measuring job satisfaction determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —measuring job satisfaction to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Measuring job satisfaction is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

4.5.3 Attitudes to work.

• workplace sabotage including methods and reasons for sabotage (exemplified by the following key study).
• Key study reasons for sabotage in the workplace: Giacalone and Rosenfeld (1987).
• Blau and Boal's absenteeism and organisational commitment model including types of absence, categories of commitment.
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: application to everyday life, individual and situational explanations, reductionism versus holism, idiographic versus nomothetic, generalisations. knowledge and skills to explore the challenges plays a key role in every student's education.'.

This matters because —attitudes to work determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —attitudes to work to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Attitudes to work is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.