In the 1930s, researchers began to study employees' feelings about their jobs.

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Industrial and organizational psychology originated in the early 20th century, with some of the foundational research in the field being conducted even before World War I. The study of its history involves tracing the evolution of its theories, practices, and key milestones from these origins to the present day.

History of Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the work of industrial psychologists expanded significantly to include major contributions to the military effort. These efforts focused on developing systematic methods for screening, selecting, and placing military personnel.

Psychological Contributions to the U.S. Military in WWI

The Hawthorne Studies were a series of long-term research projects conducted by Elton Mayo and his team from 1929 to 1932 at Western Electric’s Hawthorne Works. These studies are considered the origin of organizational psychology because they expanded the scope of industrial psychology beyond employee selection to include complex issues like interpersonal relations, motivation, and organizational dynamics. A key finding was that psychological and social factors were more influential on productivity than physical aspects of the work environment. First-hand video accounts of the original studies are available and offer further insight into the research.

Hawthorne Studies

The field of industrial psychology experienced significant expansion driven by the events of World War II. This period saw increased application and development of psychological principles within military and industrial contexts, building on earlier contributions to the military.

Expansion of I-O Psychology during WWII

Following World War II, both industrial and organizational psychology became major areas for research. This period was characterized by new lines of inquiry, including investigations into the fairness of employment tests and a deeper focus on job satisfaction and employee motivation.

Post-WWII Research Trends in I-O Psychology

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 created a new social, political, and legal landscape that organizations were required to navigate. This legislation, particularly its focus on equal employment opportunity, greatly increased the significance of I-O psychology. The field was called upon to address these new challenges through both research and practice, with I-O psychologists' work in employee selection, placement, and performance appraisal becoming crucial for ensuring organizational compliance and fairness.

Impact of the 1964 Civil Rights Act on I-O Psychology

Both World War I and World War II served as significant catalysts for the expansion of industrial psychology. The tasks assigned to psychologists during these global conflicts spurred the development of new assessment tests and fostered research into how psychological concepts could be practically applied to assist industry, the military, and other areas.

Influence of World Wars on the Expansion of Industrial Psychology

I-O psychology originated as industrial psychology, with an early focus on applying psychological principles to personnel selection. The field later expanded to incorporate organizational psychology, a shift largely driven by influential research like the Hawthorne studies. These studies revealed that human interaction and social factors were more significant drivers of productivity than physical conditions, broadening the discipline's scope.

Evolution from Industrial to Organizational Psychology

A psychologist in the 1910s is hired by a factory to determine the optimal level of lighting and the most efficient layout of machinery to maximize worker output. The study exclusively measures changes in production numbers based on these physical adjustments. This research approach is most characteristic of which phase in the development of the field?

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