Basic Concepts of Industrial Psychology

04/08/23 14:56 1© Dr Ashutosh Misal

1. Causation of Behaviour

1st principle of psychology ..all the activities of human beings are not random but are always brought about some stimulating factors or conditions that make a person behave in a certain fashion (stimulus – reaction)

E.g. Many such behaviours such as absenteeism, low figures of production, poorly running sales department or situations like strikes, lockouts etc

Causes and Corrective measures are found out by the study of IP

04/08/23 14:56 2© Dr Ashutosh Misal

2. Individual Differences

No two individuals are alike in their….. physical characteristics such as height, weight,

appearance, muscle power, sensory equipment etc….. …..as well psychological characteristics such as

intelligence, interests , aptitudes, personal qualities like aggressiveness, introversion, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, endurance emotions etc…

Selection process, promotion, placement etc depend a lot on these characteristics

Differences in Physical Characteristics, in Intelligence, in Interest, in Personality Characteristics

04/08/23 14:56 3© Dr Ashutosh Misal

3. Learning ~ is a relatively (1) permanent (2) change in

behaviour which occurs as a result of (3) experience or (4) practice

Experience is the best but different teacher as he takes exam first and then teaches…

Types of Learning: Classical conditioning Operant learning of various sorts Discrimination learning Motor or skill learning Verbal learning, Social learning etc

04/08/23 14:56 4© Dr Ashutosh Misal

4. Differences in Perception

What we see is dependent upon the way the brain organizes the nervous impulses which come from eyes

The way we see, think and conclude is perception Fast readers are rapid perceivers…so we need

people to perceive faster who are working on fast moving machines…as one cannot perceive at leisure

What you perceive and how you perceive largely a matter of learning and training…often inherent and difficult to improve by training

04/08/23 14:56 5© Dr Ashutosh Misal

5. Attitudes It is a complex concept in which several kinds of

behaviour like beliefs, opinions, stereotyping, prejudices are closely connected with attitudes

May be defined as “learned orientation or disposition towards an object, person, situation, or issue which makes an individual to react to them in a favourable or unfavourable manner”

~ is learnt; ~ is a disposition we carry with us like as we carry all our habits; ~ may be inactive but it is ready to be aroused by appropriate circumstances; ~ makes individual to react favourable/ unavourable, indifferent manner

04/08/23 14:57 6© Dr Ashutosh Misal

5. Attitudes Attitudes and Opinions: Opinion is verbalized or

expressed in language or in some other forms of communication (non-verbal etc) while attitude may not be…..Attitude is a private affair as we may not know a person’s attitude until it is expressed

Attitudes and Prejudice: E.g. treatment to Blacks in America and Backward Class people in India have to suffer prejudiced attitudes of people…so as for culture, religions, castes, positions etc

04/08/23 14:57 7© Dr Ashutosh Misal

6. Motivation Primary Motives: food, shelter, clothing,

water, rest, avoidance of harm, sex etc Secondary/ Acquired/ Learned/ Social

Motives: these are results of interactions with other persons or objects in environment. E.g. achievement, success, power, affiliation, growth, advancement status

General Motives: curiosity, activity or play, self-esteem, self-respect, prestige

04/08/23 14:57 8© Dr Ashutosh Misal

7. Frustration and Related Behaviour

Barriers or obstacles in the way of satisfying one’s desired goals are frustration

Frustration is almost inevitable experience of every living human being

Hostility/ Aggression, Withdrawal/ Backout/ Resign

04/08/23 14:57 9© Dr Ashutosh Misal

8. Personality and Behaviour

Personality is “What you are” B = f (P, E)B = BehaviourP = PersonalityE = Environment

04/08/23 14:57 10© Dr Ashutosh Misal

9. Role Behaviour Our Sex Roles – Male or Female Membership Roles – of particular

religion, social community, caste etc

Age Roles – baby, child, adolescent, youth, adult, old etc

Occupational Roles – Managers, Doctors, Professors, Advocates etc

04/08/23 14:57 11© Dr Ashutosh Misal

10. Organizational Roles ‘Human Groups’ as ‘System of Roles’ and

‘Social Organization’ as ‘System of human groups’

~ are based on tasks to be performed at various levels and functions within the organization and form the formal organizational structure

A group of similar positions are termed as a “ROLE” having four categories of content in each: Work, Authority, Communication and Relationship

04/08/23 14:57 12© Dr Ashutosh Misal

3 Group Phenomena… …with which industrial

psychologists are immediately concerned areOrganizationGroup MoraleLeadership…at all levels

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3 Group Phenomena…

…rests on 3 elements… the structure (roles, functions, levels)

the process (speed of performance, result orientation, extent of

control, task completion steps) and the attitudes of people (optimism, pessimism, feelings

of pride, participation and involvement)

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Organization…