EMERGING TRENDS AND VEXING ISSUES IN INDUSTRIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL-PSYCHOLOGY

This article discusses trends and issues emerging over recent years in industrial and organisational psychology. Most significant has been a n increasingly fruitful blending of aspects of the science and the pra ctice of this field. Special attention has been directed towards syste matic study of issues related to fair employment practices, and to bro ader recognition of the importance of meta-analysis for advancing know ledge as opposed to such simplistic approaches as statistical signific ance testing. Increased attention has also been focused on the importa nce of genetic influences in areas of work behaviour. Questions concer ning the accuracy of strictly clinical methods of personnel assessment are discussed. Several important trends in the field are mentioned an d discussed-including increased use of personality measures, 360 degre es feedback instruments, and expanding the work performance criterion domain to include aspects of contextual performance such as citizenshi p behaviours. Finally, a need is stated for developing better methods of ascertaining with greater precision the stable effects on individua ls of environmental experiences as they may be experienced within home , work, or school settings.