24571 - Occupational Psychology (5 Credits)

Academic Year 2008/2009

  • Docente: Marco Depolo
  • Credits: 5
  • SSD: M-PSI/06
  • Language: Italian
  • Moduli: Marco Depolo (Modulo 0) Daniele Malaguti (Modulo 1)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 0) Traditional lectures (Modulo 1)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Organization Sciences (cod. 0113)

Learning outcomes

“Work Psychology” course intends to introduce students to the main concepts and theoretical approaches that the discipline developed to understand the relationship and interdependence between person, work, task, and organizational context.

1st Degree course: Organizational Sciences -5 credits (unit 1 of the course).
Objectives: Knowing basic psychological concepts necessary to analyse work behaviour and its outcomes, the main theories developed and the main methodological orientations to research and interventions. Acquiring skills about analyses and understanding of the work contexts and the choice of appropriate methodology and instruments.

1st Degree courses: Social Services -9 credits (units 1 and 2 of the course).
Knowledge and skills of the previous unit and: knowing the main theoretical orientations connected to the Human Resources Management (recruitment, selection, professional training, socialization processes); acquiring skills of analysis and intervention in the field of team building and group management (rule-building, conflict management, leadership practices, decision making, efficiency-and-efficacy processes).

Course contents

The Course is hold by Marco Depolo and Daniele Malaguti, and is divided in two units.

First unit (5 credits): basic history of work psychology, attitudes towards work, work/job analysis, work performance and outcomes (e.g. satisfaction, well-being, stress), socialization processes. Human Resources Management (recruitment, selection, training, job entry).

Second unit (4 credits): work groups and teams structures and dynamics; team building.

Readings/Bibliography

Unit 1 (5 credits):

  1. Sarchielli, G. (2008). Psicologia del Lavoro. Bologna: Il Mulino

  2. Other scientific articles or papers could be discussed during the course

Unit 2 (4 credits):

  1. Malaguti, D. (2007). Fare squadra. Psicologia dei gruppi di lavotro. Bologna: Il Mulino.

  2. Other scientific articles or papers could be discussed during the course.

Scientific articles or papers will be available in the web-page of prof. Marco Depolo. How to get them:
I) Enter the site ( http://servizi.psice.unibo.it/docenti/index.asp?pagina=scheda_docente_info.asp&IDdocente=48)
II) Follow the link ““Insegnamento/i” under the photo
III) Follow the link “Psicologia del lavoro / Scienze Politiche”
IV) Follow the link “Lucidi e appunti del corso” (if the requested documents are “lucidi riservati": register in Es@minet following directions, click “Lucidi riservati”, insert userid & pw)

Teaching methods

Lessons and guided discussions will be used. Examples of the most used tools and techniques will be presented.

Assessment methods

The final exam consists in a written test with multiple choice questions and few open-ended questions. Students regularly attending the lessons will be given the possibility to pass the exam during the course: for Organizational Sciences students (5 credits), a test will be presented at the end of the course (i.e. at the end of the first unit); for Social Services students (9 credits), the same previous test, plus a test at the end of the second unit.


Teaching tools

PC, projector

Office hours

See the website of Marco Depolo

See the website of Daniele Malaguti