Industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology to organizational behavior management (OBM): Join the family-individual differences matter

In this comment on Geller (2002) and S. Roberts (2002), we first outline the content domain of the field of I/O Psychology, hopefully dispelling some myths that OBM researchers and practitioners have about our field. Second, we turn our attention to the dependent variable in organizational research (i.e., the criterion; the target of interventions). We distinguish among several dependent variables such as individual behaviors, individual job performance, and organizational performance. We discuss and describe empirical research on the explanatory value of person- and organization-based variables. A large body of research in I/O Psychology has documented the relevance and importance of person-based constructs such as cognitive ability, integrity, and conscientiousness for work performance and outcomes. The field of OBM can enhance research and practice by incorporating person-based variables to its models, joining the larger family of I/O psychologists studying behavior in the workplace.