Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology

Abstract

An Industrial and Organizational (I/O) psychologist is commonly referred to as an I/O practitioner and as an I/O consultant. I/O psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the application of psychological principles in the workplace. To practitioners, I/O psychology is the application or extension of psychological methods and principles to the solution of organizational and workplace problems, both in the domestic and international arenas. Most commonly, I/O psychology is concerned with those problems caused by human performance and those which affect human performance within organizational contexts. As such, I/O psychologists employ psychological measurement and research findings related to human abilities, motivation, perception, and learning in seeking to improve the fit between the needs of the work organization and those of the people who populate it. Thus, an I/O psychologist plays a paramount role in successful global ventures by addressing two key factors—culture and behavior—resulting in positive return-on-investment (ROI).