Take Your Degree to the Next Level
Industrial-Organizational Psychology at UTC
Welcome to the UTC Master's of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology Program. Whether you are interested in the practice or science side of I-O, our program can help you take your career to the next level. We are confident this site will give you all the information you need regarding our strong program. If, however, you have a specific question that does not seem to be addressed here, please feel free to contact the program coordinator, Dr. Bart Weathington or any one of the faculty. You can reach Dr. Weathington via the following methods:
- By calling him at 423-425-4289.
- By sending him a letter at Dr. Bart Weathington, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 615 McCallie Ave., Department 2803 (Psychology), Chatanooga, TN 37403 USA
- By e-mailing him at Bart-Weathington@utc.edu
Looking for Information about RCIO 2013?
The 9th Annual River Cities I-O Psychology Conference is scheduled for Friday and Saturday October 25-26, 2013 here at UTC in Chattanooga. Please visit our conference website for details (click here).
UTC in action.
For more photos of the program in action, check out our "Photos" section.
Defining I-O Psychology and Our Program's Mission
Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology is the scientific study of how people function within work organizations. As a primariliy applied subfield of psychology, I-O practitioners and researchers utilize the best in behavioral science techniques when addressing issues that matter to business organizations of all varieties. These issues include identifying and developing top talent within organizations, improving leadership and management effectiveness, assistant organizations through periods of change and challenge, improving performance appraisal/evaluation practices, understanding the interaction between personal and environmental factors at work, and improving and managing the occupational health and safety of workers in all industries (see www.siop.org for more details).
The mission of the industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology concentration is to provide students with the training necessary to pursue a variety of I-O related careers. These include, but are not limited to, positions in human resources departments in work organizations (e.g. job analyst, testing specialist, trainer, compensation analyst, organizational development specialist, generalist), and human resource management consultant. In addition, the I-O program can be used as a preparation for the pursuit of doctoral training in I-O or related fields of study. As with any educational program, many graduates have found work in other fields based on some combination of their interests and circumstances.
The fundamental educational philosophy of the program is to train students to think in a logical and critical manner. This skill is useful to anybody in any endeavor. The curriculum is organized around specific core knowledge domains particular to I-O psychology. Two of these, the industrial domain and the organizational domain, are evident in the program label. The industrial domain includes content such as job analysis, selection, tests and measurements, and training. The organizational domain includes content such as work motivation, organizational development, culture, and conflict management. The third domain, research methodology, includes content such as univariate and multivariate statistical analysis, experimental design, survey research and scale construction. In summary, the I-O concentration promotes learning objectives that include critical reasoning, ability to apply and effectively share scientific knowledge in diverse situations, formal scientific methods and thinking, and advanced statistical analysis.
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Program News
Our students and faculty are very active in the science and practice of I-O psychology. Here's an update of some recent and upcoming UTC I-O presentations and activities:
UTC Student SHRM Chapter
Check the UTC Student SHRM webpage (linked through our navigation bar) for updates on meetings and events at UTC that are HR-related and tailored to students with I-O and HR interests.
Recent Scholarly Activity
Books
Weathington, B.L., Cunningham, C.J.L., & Pittenger, D.J. (2010). Research Methods for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 978-0470458037
Weathington, B.L., Cunningham, C.J.L., O’Leary, B.J. & Biderman, M.D. (2011). Applied Psychology in Everyday Life. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN: 978-1443831888
Recent Publications by Program Faculty (2010 - Present)
Biderman, M. D., Nguyen, N. T., Cunningham, C. J. L, & Ghorbani, N. (In Press). The Ubiquity of Common Method Variance: The Case of the Big Five. Journal of Research in Personality, doi: 10.1016/j.jrp.2011.05.001
Davison, H. K., O’Leary, B. J., Schlosberg, J. A., & Bing, M. N. (In Press). The failure of the ADA: Why individuals with disabilities fail to request needed accommodations in an academic setting. Journal of Workplace Rights.
Ghorbani, N., Watson, P. J., Shamohammadi, K., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (in press). Post-critical beliefs in Iran: Predicting religious and psychological functioning. Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion.
Weathington, B.L. & Reddock, C.M. (in press). Equity Sensitivity in "Fringe" Benefit Value and Satisfaction. Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management.
2012
O’Leary, B. J., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2012). Identifying the scope of work at Dixie Weaving, Inc. In D. L. Anderson (Ed.) Cases and exercises in organization development and change (pp. 51-57). Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc.
2011
Cunningham, C. J. L. (2011). How interrole conflict research can have a greater impact. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 4, 370-374.
Cunningham, C. J. L. (2011). Occupational health is serious business. Perspectives on Business and Economics, 30th Anniversary Retrospective. http://docark.web.lehigh.edu/mart/retrospectives.php?h=3
Cunningham, C. J. L., & Panda, M. (2011). Examining physician reflections and reactions to housecalls [Research Abstract]. Journal of Investigative Medicine, 59(2), 538.
Ghorbani, N., Watson, P. J., Rezazadeh, Z., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2011). Dialogical validity of religious measures in Iran: Relationships with integrative self-knowledge and self-control of the “perfect man” (Ensān-e Kāmel). Archive for the Psychology of Religion, 33, 93-113.
Kinney, E. W., Scherer, P., Embar-Srinivasan, R., Cunningham, C. J. L., Kolade, V. O., & Panda, M. (2011). The Influence of Financial Stressors on Future Career Choices of Medical Students and Residents [Research Abstract]. Journal of General internal Medicine, 26(S1): S30.
Patel, S. P., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2011, online first version). Religion, resources, and work-family balance. Mental Health, Religion & Culture. doi: 10.1080/13674676.2011.577765
Reddock, C. R., Biderman, M. D., & Nguyen, N. T. (2011). The Relationship of Reliability and Validity of Personality Tests to Frame-of-Reference Instructions and Within-person Inconsistency. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 19, 119-131
Singh, V., Panda, M., Cunningham, C. J. L., Hetzler, D., Stanley, J. D. (2011). Disclosure and documentation of unintended medical events (UMES): What do healthcare providers believe? [Research Abstract] Journal of General Internal Medicine, 26(S1), S19. Jointly published in the Journal of Investigative Medicine, 59(2), 538-539.
Weathington, B.L. (2011). Whence Applied Science in a Person-Centric Work Psychology? Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 4(1), 136-137.
2010
Cunningham, C. J. L. (2010). Understanding and using multiple mediation models in occupational health: An introduction and guide to application. Society for Occupational Health Psychology Newsletter, 9, 10-11; 22-23.
Cunningham, C. J. L. (2010). You lost me at hello: Aren’t we I-O psychologists still? Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3, 262-265.
Ghorbani, N., Cunningham, C. J. L., & Watson, P. J. (2010). Comparative analysis of integrative self-knowledge, mindfulness, and private self-consciousness in predicting responses to stress in Iran. International Journal of Psychology, 45(2), 147-154.
Ghorbani, N., Watson, P.J., Hamzavy, F., & Weathington, B.L. (2010). Self-Knowledge and Narcissism in Iranians: Relationships with Empathy and Self-Esteem. Current Psychology, 29(2), 135-143.
Nguyen, N. T., Biderman, M. D., & McNary, L. (2010). A Validation Study of the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory. International Journal of Training and Development, 14, 112-129.
Pegues, D. A., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2010). Diversity in leadership: Where’s the love for racioethnic minorities? The Business Journal of Hispanic Research, 4(1), 12-17.
Panda, M., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2010). Addressing and preventing stress, fatigue, and burnout in health care providers [Research Abstract]. Journal of Investigative Medicine, 58(2), 460. Jointly published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25 (S3), S437.
Panda, M., Cunningham, C. J. L., Rybolt, A., & Queen, S. (2010). Attitudes of residents, patients and caregivers to house calls: Better than sliced bread [Research Abstract]? Journal of Investigative Medicine, 58(2), 497. Jointly published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25 (S3), S439.
Tetrick, L.E., Weathington, B.L., DaSilva, N, & Hutcheson, J. (2010). Individual Differences in Attractiveness of Jobs Based on Compensation Package Components. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 22(3), 195-211.
Weathington, B.L., Alexander, A.C., & Rodebaugh, L.L. (2010). Coaching Influences on Student-Athlete Motivation, Stress, and Skill. Athletic Insight, 2(2), 1-18.
Recent Presentations (2010 & 2011)
2011
Biderman, M. D. (2011, April). The relationship of scale reliability and validity to respondent inconsistency. Paper presented at the 26th Annual Conference of The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicago, IL.
Biderman, M., Nguyen, N., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2011, April). A method factor measure of self-concept. Poster presented at the 26th annual conference of The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicago, IL.
Cunningham, C. J. L., & Panda, M. (2011, February). Examining physician reflections and reactions to housecalls. Presentation delivered at the 2011 Southern Society of General Internal Medicine Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Cunningham, C. J. L. (2011, May). Working with difference scores: An applied primer. In L. Kath & V. Magley (co-chairs), Methodology in occupational health research: A continual learning effort). Symposium presented at the 9th International Conference on Work, Stress, & Health: Work and well-being in an economic context, Orlando, FL.
Cunningham, C. J. L., & Morelli, N. (co-chairs) (2011, May). Stretching Conservation of Resources Theory of stress in organizational research. Symposium presented at the 9th International Conference on Work, Stress, & Health: Work and well-being in an economic context, Orlando, FL.
Green, J.A. & Weathington, B.L. (2011, February). Relationship between Personal Life Values, Optimism, Anxiety, and Depression. Poster presented at the 2011 Posters at the Capital, Nashville, TN.
Jex, S.M., Cunningham, C.J.L., Bartone, P.T., Bates, M.J., & Bowles, S.V. (2011, August). Initial evidence for a military work and life well-being instrument. Poster presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Martin, S., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2011, May). Workplace stress and culture factors predicting ATOD use among young workers. Poster presented at the 9th International Conference on Work, Stress, & Health: Work and well-being in an economic context, Orlando, FL.
Petschonek, S. & Cunningham, C. J. L. (co-chair). (2011, April). What the doctor ordered: Strategies for linking I-O and healthcare. Symposium presented at the 26th annual conference of The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicago, IL.
Terlecki, S., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2011, May). Exploring individual and organizational level antecedents of experienced workplace incivility. Paper presented at the 9th International Conference on Work, Stress, & Health: Work and well-being in an economic context, Orlando, FL.
Weathington, B.L. (2010, August). Communication and Miscommunication in the Workplace: Understanding Generational Differences. Presentation to the 27th Annual Joint Conference on Juvenile Justice, Chattanooga, TN.
Weathington, B. L., Cunningham, C., O’Leary, B. J., & Cunningham, C. J. (2010). The relation between loyalty to supervisor and intent to turnover. Poster presented at the 2010 Southeastern Psychological Association conference, Chattanooga, TN.
Weathington, B. L., Smith, R., O’Leary, B. J. & Cunningham, C. J. (2010). An analysis of the relationship between personality and leader emergence. Poster presented at the 2010 Southeastern Psychological Association conference, Chattanooga, TN.
Weathington, B. L., Brown, T., O’Leary, B. J., & Cunningham, C. J. (2010). Understanding organizational deviance: The role of satisfaction, and stress. Poster presented at the 2010 Southeastern Psychological Association conference, Chattanooga, TN.
2010
Biderman, M. D., & Weathington, B. (2010, April). Developing g-loaded selection tests without adverse impact. Paper presented at the 25th annual conference of The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
Makowski, S., Cunningham, C. J. L., Whitley, J., & Panda, M. (2010, September). Addressing and preventing stress, fatigue and burnout in health care providers: The humanistic approach. Symposium presented at the EACH 2010 International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, Verona, Italy.
Panda, M., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2010, April). Addressing and preventing stress, fatigue, and burnout in health care providers. Poster presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Society for General Internal Medicine, Minneapolis, MN.
Pegues, D. A., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2010, April). Attracting racioethnic minorities: A social cognitive perspective. Poster presented at the 25th annual conference of The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
Reddock, C. M., Biderman, M. D., & Nguyen, N. T. (2010, April). Increasing the validity of personality questionnaires. Paper presented at the 25th annual conference of The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
Rybolt, A., Panda, M., Cunningham, C. J. L., & Queen, S. (2010, April). Attitudes of residents, patients, and caregivers to house calls: Better than sliced bread? Poster presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Society for General Internal Medicine, Minneapolis, MN.
Singh, V., Cunningham, C. J. L., & Panda, M. (2011, February). Disclosure and documentation of unintended medical events: What do healthcare providers believe? Presentation delivered at the 2011 Southern Society of General Internal Medicine Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Weathington, B. L., Brown, T. G., Elliott, R., Cunningham, C. J. L., & O’Leary, B. J. (2010, March). Understanding Organizational Deviance: The Role of Satisfaction and Stress. Poster presented at the 2010 Annual Convention of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Chattanooga, TN.
Weathington, B., Cunningham, C., Cunningham, C. J. L., & O’Leary, B. J. (2010, March). The relation between loyalty to supervisor and intent to turnover. Poster presented at the 2010 Annual Convention of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Chattanooga, TN.
Weathington, B., Rodebaugh, L., Cunningham, C. J. L., & Biderman, M. (2010, March). An evaluation of alternate realistic job preview formats. Poster presented at the 2010 Annual Convention of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Chattanooga, TN.
Weathington, B., Smith, R., O’Leary, B. J., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2010, March). An analysis of the relationship between personality and leader emergence. Poster presented at the 2010 Annual Convention of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Chattanooga, TN.
Webster, K. M., Pugliese, P., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2010, September). Implementing and promoting bicycle sharing in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 2011. Breakout session presented to attendees of the ProWalk/ProBike 2010 Conference, Chattanooga, TN.
