ndustrial and Organizational Psychology? others who might collaborate with I-O psychologists in research or applied projects.We've already discussed examples of the first two goals (e.g,evidence-based I-psychology, humanitarian work psychology),and we will discuss issues related to the third goal later in this chapter. How This Course Can Help You Working is a part of almost everyone's life.Outside of the classroom,you will likely do what most other people do:spend 50 percent or more of your waking weekday hours at work.This means that a course in I-O psychology should benefit you in several ways. First,it can help you understand what you are experiencing in the workplace.Most stu- dents have an exposure to work by the time they finish high school.Most continue to work in some capacity in college(during the summer and/or at part-time jobs during the school year).This textbook does not tell you what emotions to experience at work. Instead,we try to provide a broader context for you to understand various policies and practices that you are likely to experience in your work.For example,material in this text will provide a basis for knowing if the HR policies your organization follows are new or old,tested or untested,likely to be effective or ineffective.Second,chances are that you will eventually be placed in the position of managing the work of others and in that role either developing or at least implementing work-related policies.You may very well become a leader even without asking to be one.The material of this course and the text itself should provide you with a good foundation for developing and/or implementing effective policies.Third,in the course of your daily life you will almost certainly hear friends and family talk about their joys and frustrations with their organizations and work.Many of them will not have the understanding gained from a course like the one you are taking now.You will be able to act as a resource in helping them understand the policies that are affecting them. You might wonder why a course in I-O might be preferred over a course in human resources,or labor relations,or general management.The answer can be found in the ear- lier discussion of the scientist-practitioner model.That is how I-O is different.It applies the results of scientific research to real-world problems.These other courses consider the same real-world problems,but they do not depend on research for drawing conclusions.Instead they depend on experience,or current practices,or suggested "best"practices.And this is a valuable approach as well,but an I-O course is built around the results of scientific research. Although most of the students who read this book for a course they are taking will be nei- ther active researchers nor active practitioners of I-O psychology,there is a high probability that they will be consumers of 1-O research in considering their own jobs or the jobs of subordinates.In addition,many will be exposed to concepts of 1-0 psychology through interactions with psychological consultants or other managers.This course will help those readers become knowledgeable consumers. You will see another benefit from this course that goes beyond the relationship of you or your friends and relatives to a particular organization or job.There are national debates that relate to work.As a result of having taken this course,you will be better informed about many of the issues that form these debates than your colleagues or relatives.As examples of the debates that are currently on the table,consider the following 1.Is employment discrimination old news or is it still occurring?If it is occurring.who are its most common victims?To the extent that it is occurring.what can be done to reduce it?What are the various steps in an employment discrimination lawsuit? Scanned by CamScannerScanned by CamScanner