Fall 2020 - BPK 381 D100

Psychology of Work (3)

Class Number: 6142

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Wed, 3:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 12, 2020
    Sat, 3:30–6:30 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Anne-Kristina Arnold
    aarnolda@sfu.ca
    778-782-5213
    Office: L8003
  • Prerequisites:

    PSYC 210 or both of BPK 207 and STAT 201. Corequisite: STAT 201 may be taken concurrently. Recommended: BPK 180.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The application of psychological principles and methods to the study of human performance at work. A systems approach will be taken to study the interactions among the individual worker, his/her task, groups of workers, and the management structure of the organization.

COURSE DETAILS:

BPK 381 develops students’ understanding of the role of work in supporting healthy individuals, organizations and societies. It emphasizes the application of ergonomic and psychological principles and methods as they apply to human and system performance in the workplace.

 

Topics will include:

  • The historical background of work psychology and ergonomics
  • Research methods in work psychology and ergonomics
  • Stress and well-being at work
  • Psychosocial factors related to injury
  • Occupational health
  • Work Motivation
  • Personnel selection  
  • Training and development
  • Participatory ergonomics
  • Shift work
  • Job design and organizational development
  • Union – Management relations
  • Human error and accidents
  • The changing nature of work

 

This course will be administered in a remote, blended, on-line format on Canvas.  Students are encouraged to attend the synchronous Q and A sessions on Wednesdays at 3:30 PM - 4:20PM.    Attendance at first Q and A Session via ZOOM 3:30 PDT on Sept. 9th is mandatory.  The midterm exam will be synchronous; date: Wednesday October 21st, 3:30PM – 4:30PM PDT and the Final exam will be synchronous; date: TBA (remote invigilation using ZOOM will be used for exams).

COURSE SCHEDULE

WEEK

LECTURES PRE-RECORDED

SYNCHRONOUS Q AND A SESSIONS ON WEDNESDAYS AT 3:30 - 4:20 PDT

NOTE: Attendance at first Q and A Session on Sept. 9th is Mandatory

1 Sept 7

PRINCIPLES/PRACTICES

Healthy Work

Attendance at first Q and A Session via ZOOM 3:30 PDT on Sept. 9th is Mandatory

2 Sept 14

PRINCIPLES/PRACTICES

History of I/O Psychology and Ergonomics
Elements of an Organization

3 Sept 21

PRINCIPLES/PRACTICES

Research Methods

Individuals at Work

4 Sept 28

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Stress, injury and health

5 Oct 5

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Job Satisfaction

6 Oct 12

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Motivation

7 Oct 19

MIDTERM EXAM WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21ST 3:30-4:20

8 Oct 26

DESIGNING HEALTHY WORK

Job Analysis techniques

9 Nov 9

DESIGNING HEALTHY WORK

Personal Selection

Training

10 Nov 16

DESIGNING HEALTHY WORK

Shift Work

11 Nov 23

DESIGNING HEALTHY WORK

Teams

12 Nov 30

DESIGNING HEALTHY WORK

Physical Design

13 Dec 7

DESIGNING HEALTHY WORK

Accidents and Human Error

14/15

Dec 9-20th

 FINAL EXAM TBD

 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

At the end of the course students will be able to:

  1. Explain the role of work in supporting healthy individuals, organizations and societies.
  2. Identify how different organizational structures (classical, hierarchical, participatory, unionized, adhocracies) influence culture, climate, roles and norms and impact the health of workplaces.
  3. Describe the requirement, limitations and methods of psychological research as they apply to understanding psychology in the workplace.
  4. Summarize major trends in personnel demographics in today’s workplaces and outline the challenges and benefits for individuals, organizations and society.
  5. Integrate course material to describe the mechanisms which relate psychosocial stress to physical and mental illness, injury and antisocial behavior in the workplace.
  6. Describe metrics for measuring job satisfaction and motivation in the workplace, identify personal and organizations factors which influence satisfaction and motivation and apply theories to case studies to predict the impact of satisfaction and motivation on performance, absenteeism and turnover.
  7. Integrate material to select job analysis techniques for identifying job design concerns and apply these to case studies.
  8. Describe how personnel selection methods, training, teamwork, physical design influence psychological health in the workplace.
  9. Describe the effect of shiftwork and schedule design on fatigue, circadian rhythm and health outcomes.
  10. Describe “Duty to accommodate” and “Human rights” legislation as it relates to discrimination and drug and alcohol use in the workplace.
  11. Identify the impact of psychological factors in accidents in the workplace. Describe “human error” and identify ways it can be reduced.
  12. Apply the Canadian Psychologically Healthy Workplace Standard in identifying evidence based solutions to hazardous workplace design.
  13. Communicate evidence-based knowledge about a topic of interest relevant to course material in a written format.

Grading

NOTES:

 

GRADING:

 

Assignment

%

4 Quizzes

16%

2 Online discussions

14%

Essay

22%

Midterm Exam

18%

Final Exam

30%



GRADES*:


 


>92

A+

4.33

87-91

A

4.00

82-86

A-

3.67

78-81

B+

3.33

74-77

B

3.00

70-73

B-

2.67

65-69

C+

2.33

60-64

C

2.00

55-59

C-

1.67

50-54

D

1.00

<50

F

0.00


 

*This is the grade scale that will normally be used. However, the instructor reserves the right to modify particular score-to-grade conversions. For more information about grading criteria see https://www.sfu.ca/bpk/undergrad_program/faqs/grading_policy.html

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Access to high speed internet, and a webcam (for exam purposes) are required.  A microphone is recommended (built in to laptop or phone is fine).

REQUIRED READING:

Landy, F.J. and Conte, J.M, (2018) Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology 6th edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Previous editions are acceptable, however page numbers for readings may not correspond.


Electronic version can be rented or purchased at: https://www.wiley.com/en-ca/Work+in+the+21st+Century:+An+Introduction+to+Industrial+and+Organizational+Psychology,+6th+Edition-p-9781119493440

Additional readings will be provided through on-line sources 


Department Undergraduate Notes:

It is the responsibility of the student to keep their BPK course outlines if they plan on furthering their education.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).