What is I-O?

Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology is the scientific study of the workplace. Rigor and methods of psychology are applied to issues of critical relevance to business, including talent management, coaching, assessment, selection, training, organizational development, performance, and work-life balance.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Instructor’s Overview

Many I-O psychologists design and/or provide training on a wide variety of topics. Currently, sexual harassment is a topic of training being addressed in many companies across the country. This module is designed to introduce students to the topic of sexual harassment and to provide a working definition of the phenomenon. The legal precedents of today’s cases, public perceptions, and personal and situational characteristics that influence perception of harassment are also presented.

Seven different events are presented that will facilitate discussion of harassment and will help students test some of their own assumptions. Ask students to judge whether or not they feel the event is harassment (and why), but also ask the students to consider ways in which the event might have been avoided or resolved. I-O psychologists assist companies by providing training on communication skills, conflict resolution, and general awareness of sexual harassment. This module is also designed to mimic one way that employees might be trained to increase their sensitivity to sexual harassment in the workplace.

Sexual Harassment References

Fitzgerald, L.F., Drasgow, F., Hulin, C.L., Gelfand, M.J., & Magley, V.J. (1997). Antecedents and consequences of sexual harassment in organizations: A test of an integrated model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 578-589.

Fitzgerald, L.F., Hulin, C.L., & Drasgow, F. (1995). The antecedents and consequences of sexual harassment in organizations: An integrated model. In G. Keita & J. Hurrell, Jr. (Eds.). Job stress in a changing workforce: Investigating gender, diversity, and family issues (pp. 55-73). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Schneider, K. T., Swan, S., & Fitzgerald, L.F. (1997). Job-related and psychological effects of sexual harassment in the workplace: Empirical evidence from two organizations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 401-415.

Stockdale, J.S. (1996). Sexual harassment in the workplace: Perspectives, frontiers, and response strategies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Time, Inc. (1998, March 23). Sex and the law. Time, 151(11).