Psychology 2061A-001
Psychology at Work
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
This course introduces students to the field of industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology and its contributions to enhanced organizational effectiveness and quality of work life. I/O psychology offers an evidence-based approach to hiring, training, performance management, and leadership, and provides insight into the motivation and behaviour of individuals and teams.
Antirequisites: Psychology 2660A/B, the former 2060
Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So if you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Alex Benson
Office and Phone Number: SSC 8408
Office Hours: Tuesday 2:00pm-3:00pm
Email: abenson3@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant: Cullen McCurrach
Office: TBD
Office Hours: TBD
Email: TBD
Time and Location of Classes: Mondays 2:30-5:30, SEB-1059
Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western
http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Assigned readings will be posted to OWL. Please see the class schedule below for which weeks have
assigned readings. The content of these readings is testable material. It is strongly encouraged that you
read each assigned paper before coming to class each week. There is no textbook for this course.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
Industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology broadly refers to the application of psychology to theworkplace, and the study of human behaviour in organizational settings. This course provides an
introduction to the theories, methods, findings, and applications of I/O psychology. The goal of this
course is to provide students with an overview of the main topics and issues relevant to the study of
I/O psychology.
4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Outcome Learning Activities Assessment
Information
Depth and Breadth of
Knowledge
Identify and describe major
concepts, theories, and topics in
I/O psychology
Weekly lecture
Weekly readings
Class discussion
iClicker
Multiple choice and
short-answer exams
Knowledge of Methodologies
Recognize methodological and
theoretical issues important to
the study of I/O psychology.
Weekly lecture
Weekly readings
Multiple choice and
short-answer exams
Application of Knowledge
Apply concepts and theories in
I/O psychology to real workplace
problems.
Weekly lecture
Weekly readings
Class discussion
iClicker
Multiple choice and
short-answer exams
5.0 EVALUATION
Course grades will be based on two midterm tests and a final examination. The midterms will consist
of multiple-choice questions and short answer questions. The final exam will be cumulative, with an
emphasis on material from the final three weeks of the course.
Midterm Test 1: Testable content includes all material covered up until the examination date (lecture
material, assigned readings). It will be out of a total of 50 marks, consisting of 40 multiple choice
questions and 10 marks from short-answer questions. (worth 30% of final mark)
Midterm Test 2: Testable content includes all material covered after Midterm Test 1 but prior to
Midterm Test 2 (lecture material, assigned readings). It will be out of a total of 50 marks, consisting of
40 multiple choice questions and 10 marks from short-answer questions. (worth 30% of final mark)
Final Exam: Testable content includes all material covered throughout the term (i.e., the final exam is
cumulative). However, there will be an emphasis on the material covered in the final three weeks of
the course. It will be out of a total of 80 multiple choice questions (worth 40% of final mark).
Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2190-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows Western's grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf):
A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average
B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements
D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable
F below 50 Fail
6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE
Midterm Test 1, September 30
Midterm Test 2, Nov. 11
Final Exam (during final examination period December 8-19)
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
Week Dates Topic & Required Reading
1. Sept. 9 Introduction to I/O Psychology & Scientific Methods [lecture only]
2. Sept. 16 Job Analysis, Recruitment, Selection, and Decision Making [lecture only]
3. Sept. 23 Performance Management [lecture + assigned reading]
Weekly reading(s):
Aguinis, H., Joo, H., & Gottfredson, R. K. (2011). Why we hate performance management—And why
we should love it. Business Horizons, 54, 503-507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2011.06.001
4. Sept. 30 1st MIDTERM EXAM
5. Oct. 7 Workplace diversity and AI in the Workplace [lecture + assigned reading]
Weekly reading(s):
Eagly, A. H. (2016). When passionate advocates meet research on diversity, does the honest broker
stand a chance? Journal of Social Issues, 72, 199-222. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12163
6 Oct. 14 Thanksgiving Holiday [no class]
7 Oct. 21 Attitudes and Emotions in the workplace [lecture + assigned reading]
Weekly reading(s):
Ashkanasy, N. M., & Humphrey, R. H. (2011). Current emotion research in organizational
behavior. Emotion Review, 3, 214-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073910391684
8 Oct. 28 Motivation & Stress [lecture only]
9 Nov. 4 Reading Week (No Class)
10 Nov. 11 2nd MIDTERM EXAM (All content covered since Sep. 23)
11 Nov. 18 Power and Status in the Workplace [lecture only]
12 Nov. 25 Leadership and Followership [lecture + assigned reading]
Weekly reading(s):
Uhl-Bien, M., Riggio, R. E., Lowe, K. B., & Carsten, M. K. (2014). Followership theory: A review and
research agenda. The Leadership Quarterly, 25, 83-104.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2013.11.007
13 Dec. 2 Groups & Teams in Organizations [lecture only]
FINAL EXAM (During Exam Period December 8-19) Inclusive of entire course
8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com http://www.turnitin.com
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS
Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12
The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html
If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:
- Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
- For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;
For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html
Students seeking academic consideration:
- are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;
- are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence;
must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence
10.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2019-2020 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.
Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute lecture notes, wiki material, and other course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.
iCLICKER
To facilitate discussion and participation, we will be using iClicker. This is a free app (Western has
purchased a university subscription) that can be accessed through https://owl.uwo.ca/portal, navigating to
the course site, and clicking on the iClicker tab on the left-hand toolbar.
Please refer to
https://presswestern.uwo.ca/students_and_audience/getting_started.html for additional information on
how to set up your free account. You may download the app to any of your smart devices or laptop. No
marks will be attached to the use of iClicker, although the questions will cover testable materials. The
main purpose of iClicker is to optimize student engagement and connect abstract theoretical ideas to
concrete examples and/or issues in the workplace. Your participation is voluntary and all responses will be
anonymous. The data will not be used for research or evaluation purposes.
