1. Industrial and Organizational Psychology Methods For I/O Research Copyright Paul E. Spector, All rights reserved, March 15, 2005

2. Research Purpose Solve an organizational problem Answer a scientific question Exploratory research Theory-testing research

3. Research Design Concepts Variables –Independent vs. dependent Research Setting –Field vs. Laboratory Generalizability Control Randomization –Random assignment –Random selection Confounding

4. Research Designs Design: Structure of a scientific study Experiment Quasi-experiment Survey design –Cross-sectional –Longitudinal Observational design –Unobtrusive method Qualitative study

5. Measurement Categorical vs. continuous Classical measurement theory –Observed = True + Error Reliability –Internal consistency vs. test-retest Validity –Face –Content –Criterion-related –Construct

6. Statistics: Descriptives Most I/O research uses statistical methods Descriptive statistics Measures of central tendency –Mean, Median, and Mode Measures of variability –Variance and standard deviation Correlation –Relationship between two variables Regression –Mathematical function relating two variables

7. Plot of Two Variables Correlated At.50

8. Statistics: Inferential Inferential statistics –Drawing conclusions about relationships Statistical significance –Based on probability –.05 significance level by convention Statistical tests –Independent group t-test –Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) –Factorial ANOVA –T-test for correlation –Multiple regression Meta-analysis –Cumulating results across multiple studies

9. Ethics of Research General principle: Do No Harm Standards –American Psychological Association –Academy of Management Protecting health and well-being of research participants Informed consent Confidentiality Ethical dilemmas –Interests of the employee vs. the organization