Managerial Psychology: Definition, History, and Further Reading
Managerial psychology is a field of research and practice that focuses on the psychological aspects of management, such as the study of leadership, group dynamics, organizational behavior, and employee motivation. It is a multi-disciplinary field, drawing on various areas of psychology such as organizational, industrial-organizational, cognitive, and social psychology. Managerial psychology is concerned with understanding and improving human behavior and workplace performance in a variety of organizational settings.
Definition
Managerial Psychology is an approach to understanding and managing people in organizations. It focuses on the psychological aspects of management, such as the study of leadership, group dynamics, organizational behavior, and employee motivation. Its goal is to improve organizational performance by understanding how people think, feel, and act in the workplace. Managerial psychology seeks to understand the relationship between individual behavior and organizational outcomes.
History
The field of managerial psychology has its roots in the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century. As organizations grew in complexity, so did the need for a better understanding of employee behavior. Early research focused on understanding worker motivation, job satisfaction, and organizational structure. In the mid-twentieth century, researchers began to focus on group dynamics and leadership. By the late twentieth century, the field had expanded to include psychological aspects of decision-making, communication, and conflict resolution.
Further Reading
The following references provide an overview of the field of managerial psychology and related topics.
Chester, P. T. (2014). Managerial psychology: An introduction. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 29(7), 597-613.
Hodson, R. (2013). The role of psychology in management. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(3), 349-366.
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2015). Organizational behavior (17th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Shuck, B., & Reio, T. G. (2014). The role of managerial psychology in organizations: An integrative review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 16(1), 44-68.
Zaccaro, S. J., & Klimoski, R. J. (2014). The nature of organizational leadership: Understanding the performance imperatives facing today’s leaders. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.