Work Psychology: Understanding Human Behaviour in the Workplace, 4th Edition

745 Pages·2004·21.53 MB·english

by  Joanne Silvester

fourth
edition
"Compulsory initial reading for students on introductory courses at undergraduate and
postgraduate levels. The fourth edition establishes itself as the benchmark introductory textbook
for students of occupational psychology. It’s accessible, scientifically-based and well grounded
in theory and practice without ever becoming dry. The case study examples throughout are
Work Psychology
particularly useful."
Dr Neil Anderson, Professor of Organisational Psychology, www.booksites.net
University of Amsterdam
Understanding Human Behaviour in the Workplace
"This is the benchmark text in occupational psychology. Everyone considering a career in this field
W
simply has to read this book prior to starting their course."
Dr Andreas Liefooghe, Lecturer in Organisational Psychology,
Birkbeck College, University of London o
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John Arnold
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The fourth edition of this market-leading textbook examines how work psychology helps with
our understanding and management of the world of work today. Covering a broad range of
Joanne Silvester
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core topics, this book is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students in business,
Fiona Patterson
management and psychology as well as those studying for professional qualifications.
s
Ivan Robertson
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KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS Cary Cooper
■ Each chapter has an opening and closing case study with related exercises to help c
Bernard Burnes
apply the theory presented in that chapter.
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■ Full colour design helps navigation and enlivens the text.
■ Coverage of cross-cultural issues reflects the increasingly global context of work. o
■ Learning outcomes, long and short self-test questions, annotated further reading
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and weblinks help students structure their learning within and beyond the textbook.
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■ A comprehensive glossary helps students revise key terms.
■ A companion website offers extra material for lecturers and students at g

www.booksites.net/arnold_workpsych
■ More material on performance appraisals, emotional intelligence, diversity and y
competencies reflects the evolution of courses and the workplace.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
John Arnold is Professor of Organisational Behaviour at the Business School,
Loughborough University, UK. Joanne Silvester is Professor of Organisational Psychology
at Goldsmith's College, London, UK. Fiona Patterson is Professor of Psychology at City
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University, London, UK. Ivan Robertson is Managing Director of the Business Psychology
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company Robertson Cooper Ltd. Cary Cooper is Professor of Organisational Psychology and
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Health at Lancaster University, UK. Bernard Burnes is Professor of Organisational Change at the
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, UK.
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d
Cover image © Getty Images
Additional student supportat
www.pearson-books.com fourth edition
An imprint of www.booksites.net/arnold_workpsych
Additional student supportat
www.booksites.net/arnold_workpsych
WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page i
Work Psychology
Visit the Work Psychology, fourth edition, Companion Website at
www.booksites.net/arnold_workpsych to find valuable student
learning material including:
(cid:1) Multiple choice questions to help test your learning
(cid:1) Links to relevant sites on the web
(cid:1) Online glossary to explain key terms
WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page ii
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Under a range of well-known imprints, including
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WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page iii
fourth edition
Work
Psychology
Understanding Human
Behaviour in the Workplace
John Arnold
with Joanne Silvester,
Fiona Patterson, Ivan Robertson,
Cary Cooper & Bernard Burnes
WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page iv
Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow
Essex CM20 2JE
England
and Associated Companies throughout the world
Visit us on the World Wide Web at:
www.pearsoned.co.uk
First published 1991
Second edition 1995
Third edition 1998
Fourth edition 2005
© Financial Times Professional Limited 1998
© Pearson Education Limited 1991, 1995, 2005
The rights of John Arnold, Jo Silvester, Fiona Patterson, Ivan
Robertson, Cary Cooper and Bernard Burnes to be identified as
authors of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a
licence permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued
by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road,
London W1T 4LP.
ISBN-10: 0-273-65544-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-273-65544-2
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cat aloging-in-Publication Data
Work psychology : understanding human behaviour in the workplace
/ John Arnold ... [et al.].–4th ed.
p. cm.
Rev. ed. of: Work psychology / John Arnold. 3rd ed. 1998.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0–273–65544–2 (pbk.)
1. Psychology, Industrial. 2. Work–Psychological aspects. I.
Arnold, John, 1958- II.
Arnold, John, 1958- Work psychology.
HF5548.8.A78 2004
158.7–dc22
2004046992
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
10 09 08 07 06 05
Typeset in 9.5/12pt Stone Serif by 3
Printed and bound by Mateu Cromo, Spain
The publisher’s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable
forests.
WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page v
CO N T E N TS
List of Tables ix
List of Figures xi
List of Case Studies xiii
List of Exercises xv
Preface xvii
Acknowledgements xxii
1 Work psychology: an initial orientation 2
Introduction • Basic psychology and work psychology • Five traditions in
psychology • The origins of work psychology • Work psychology today • The
changing world of work • Work psychology and changes in workplace
technology • Work psychology and workplace diversity • Work psychology and
specific groups in the workplace • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested
further reading
2 Theory, research and practice in work psychology 50
Introduction • The nature of theory in work psychology • Theory and practice
in work psychology • Research methods in work psychology • Research
designs • Key principles in hypothesis testing using quantitative data • Some
common statistical tests • Other phenomena in statistical testing • Analysing
qualitative data • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further reading•
Appendix: psychological associations in various countries
WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page vi
vi Work Psychology
3 Individual differences 98
Introduction • Traditional models of cognitive ability • More recent models of
intelligence • Emotional intelligence • Trait views of personality • Socio-
cognitive approaches to individual differences • Summary • Test your learning
• Suggested further reading
4 The foundations of personnel selection: analysing jobs,
competencies and selection effectiveness 132
Introduction • The design and validation process • Job analysis •
Competencies and competency analysis • Job analysis data • Using job
analysis information • Validation processes • Reliability • Financial utility •
Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further reading
5 Personnel selection and assessment methods:
what works? 168
Introduction • Overview of personnel selection methods • How well do
selection methods work? • Interviews • Psychometric tests • Assessment
centres • Other methods • The impact of selection procedures on applicants •
The use of technology in selection • Summary • Test your learning•
Suggested further reading

6 Assessing people at work 202
Introduction • Judging people • How can we improve the assessment
process? • Assessing performance • Assessment in practice • Debates in
practice • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further reading
7 Attitudes at work 238
Introduction • What is an attitude? • How are attitudes measured? • Attitude
change through persuasion • Attitudes and behaviour • Job satisfaction •
Organisational commitment • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested
further reading
WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page vii
Contents vii
8 The analysis and modification of work behaviour 276
Introduction • Conditioning and behaviour • Fundamentals of conditioning:
contiguity and contingency • Organisational behaviour modification • Putting
more thought into OB Mod • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested
further reading
9 Approaches to work motivation and job design 306
Introduction • Overview of motivation • ‘Common-sense’ approaches to
motivation • Need theories • Expectancy theory: what’s in it for me? • Justice
and citizenship theories: am I being fairly treated? • Goal-setting theory: how
can I achieve my aims? • Goals and self-regulation • Self-concept and
individual differences in motivation • Pay and motivation • Motivation through
job redesign • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further reading
10 Training 354
Introduction • The training cycle • Training needs analysis • Training design •
Training evaluation • Transfer of learning • Training and the learning
organisation • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further reading
11 Stress in the workplace 386
Introduction • What is stress? • The costs of stress • What are the most
common sources of stress at work? • Factors intrinsic to the job • Role in the
organisation • Relationships at work • Career development • Organisational
culture and climate • Home–work interface • The stress of being unemployed •
Critiques of stress • Stress management • Dealing with workplace stress: a
problem-solving framework • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested
further reading
12 Decisions, groups and teams at work 426
Introduction • Decision-making by individuals • Group decision-making •
Relations between groups at work • Teams in the twenty-first century
workplace • The wider organisational context • Negotiation and conflict at
work • Employee relations • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further
reading
WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page viii
viii Work Psychology
13 Leadership 478
Introduction • Some important questions about leadership • The early leader-
focused approaches to leadership • Transformational leadership and charisma
• Contingency theories of leadership • Perceiving leadership • Global
leadership • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further reading
14 Careers and career management 516
Introduction • The context of careers • Career forms • Career success • The
psychological contract • Career choice • All change: approaches to lifelong
career development • Gender and careers • Career management in
organisations • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further reading
15 Understanding organisational change and culture 572
Introduction • The importance of change management • Changing
organisational culture • The Planned Approach to organisational change • The
Emergent Approach to organisational change • Organisational change:
approaches and choices • Summary • Test your learning• Suggested further
reading
Glossary of terms 613
References 635
Index 701

Companion Website resources
Visit the Companion Website at www.booksites.net/arnold_workpsych
For students
Multiple choice questions to help test your learning
Links to relevant sites on the web
Online glossary to explain key terms
For lecturers
Complete, downloadable Instructor’s Manual
Sets of PowerPoint slides of for each chapter in the book to help with lecture preparation
Also:This website has a Syllabus and Profile Manager, online help, search functions, and email
results functions.
WORK_A01.QXP 1/6/06 10:44 AM Page ix
L I ST O F
TA B L E S
1.1 Key characteristics of five theoretical traditions in psychology 7
1.2 World of work changes and their implications for work psychology 30
1.3 Three ways of introducing new technology into work organisations 32
2.1 An excerpt from a research interview 83
2.2 Example of content analysis categories 84
3.1 Some questions from an intelligence test 103
3.2 Practical thought and intelligence testing 104
3.3 Correlations between some intellectual tests 105
3.4 Sizes of correlations in a correlation matrix 105
3.5 The results of a factor analysis 106
3.6 Personality questionnaires 122
3.7 The personality traits assessed by the 16PF with examples of famous

individuals exemplifying the traits 123
3.8 Competency frameworks 125
4.1 Three competencies from a competency model for general practitioners 143
4.2 A checklist of considerations for conducting a job analysis 148
5.1 Personnel selection methods 172
5.2 Major evaluative standards for personnel selection procedures 174
5.3 Major sources of distortion in validation studies 175
5.4 The impact of different reliabilities on an estimated true score 176
5.5 A summary of studies on the validity of selection procedures 179
5.6 Example situational interview question and response anchors to
assess initiative 181
5.7 Tips for best practice structured interview design 182
7.1 Values, attitudes and moods 243
7.2 Stereotyped attitudes towards male versus female managers 246
7.3 A job satisfaction measure 259