Department 12: An I-O Psychology Podcast

In this episode, host Ben Butina speaks with Stephanie Murphy, Ph. D. , about her journey into people analytics and the rapid growth of her new organization, the Society for People Analytics . Stephanie shares how a simple meet-up with colleagues evolved into an international movement uniting people analytics professionals across diverse backgrounds, from HR and I-O psychology to finance and data...

In this episode of the Department 12 Podcast, host Dr. Ben Butina speaks with Wes Johnson , a graduate student at Montclair State University, about his diverse work experiences at water parks during high school and college. Wes shares the contrasts between his engaging high school job and the less motivating college job, highlighting the significant impact of workplace culture on employee satisfac...

In this episode of the Department 12 Podcast, I’m joined by Krystina Moustakis, a learning experience designer and organizational psychologist with a knack for creating impactful training programs that align with business metrics. We dive into the art of consulting, particularly how to effectively communicate with executives and business leaders—a skill that's often emphasized but rarely taught in...

In this episode of the Department 12 Podcast, Dr. Ben Butina talks with Ian Siderits , a Ph. D. candidate at North Carolina State University, about mentorship from the perspective of a mentee. Ian discusses his entry into the field of I-O psychology, influenced significantly by his mentors, starting with Dr. Tara Behrend during his undergraduate studies. He reflects on key mentoring principles, su...

In this episode of Department 12, I sit down with the Ellie Hoekman , an I-O Psychology enthusiast turned career coach, to explore the paths that lead Ellie from a rejected quantitative psychology applicant to a fervent advocate and professional in the I-O psychology space. Ellie also shares her advice for I-O students, recent graduates, and faculty members. Be sure to visit the episode page for a...

In this episode, Ben speaks to Richard Mendelson, Ph. D. about a range of topics, including Rich's work as an expert legal witness and consultant in school violence cases. The heart of the episode is a discussion about the relationship between time-tracking and productivity. The conversation also touches on the impacts of remote work and the gig economy. Check out the episode page for a full trans...

A few years ago, I talked to Shavonne Holman and Macy Cheeks about an organization they had founded: Blacks in I/O Psychology. Since then, the organization has gone from strength to strength, and, on February 22-23, 2024, BIOP will hold its Inaugural Conference & Gala in Atlanta. Register before the end of the year for an early-bird discount.

Dr. Victoria Mattingly joins Dr. Ben Butina to discuss diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. She shares her expertise from publishing the book Inclusivelytics and running her consulting firm. Dr. Victoria opens up about battling cancer this year and how it differed from facing depression. The conversation covers how to build genuine inclusion for all identities, embracing neurodiversit...

In this episode of Department 12, Dr. Ben Butina interviews Professor Carol Kulik , co-author of the book Human Resources for the Non-HR Manager . Dr. Kulik discusses the importance of HR for all managers, even those who don't have a formal HR role. She also talks about the importance of making HR research accessible and applicable to everyday practice. Dr. Butina and Dr. Kulik also discuss the ch...

Dr. Ben Butina interviews Henri Maindidze , a third-year graduate student in I/O psychology at Portland State University. Henry discusses his experiences with mentoring undergraduate students and how he helps them navigate the challenges of graduate school. He shares some of the most common questions he receives from mentees, such as how to manage their time, how to approach class assignments, and...

Join Dr. Ben Butina in this enlightening episode of Department 12 as he engages in a compelling conversation with Dr. Rachel Baghelai . Dr. Baghelai recounts her unconventional journey into the world of Industrial-Organizational (IO) psychology, transitioning from banking to pursuing a graduate program at Elmhurst University. Delving into her evolution within the field, Dr. Bagley shares her shift...

Trevor Nagle is a working actor with more than 40 speaking roles in movies, TV shows, and live theater to his credit. He also does voiceover work and industrial films. In this episode, I talk to Trevor about what a day on set is really like, the unique challenges of auditions, and what separates successful working actors from those who drop out. There's also a great big swerve about halfway throug...

In this episode, Dr. Ben Butina interviews Dr. Andrew Holter about the surprising findings in his recently defended dissertation on whether self-efficacy, grit, and job satisfaction predict turnover intention among new registered nurses. Dr. Holter also discusses his background in public safety and how IO psychology is applicable in his role as a fire department administrator. Check out the full t...

Dr. Ben Butina interviews Dr. Logan Watts, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington, about his background and research. They discuss the concept of “side effects” in organizational interventions, which are unintended negative consequences that may occur as a result of a treatment or intervention. They also explore the distinction between side effects and primary ef...

Are there reliable differences between generations? Should business and HR leaders make decisions based on generational differences? Why are generations so popular on social media and in the popular business press? Are generations even a thing? In this episode, I interrogate Dr. David Costanza , Director of the I/O Psych Doctoral program at George Washington University, where he is Associate Profe...

Raul Alejandro Espino joins us to share his observations about I-O psych in Central America, South America, and Spain. Be sure to visit the episode page for a full transcript.

Let's face it. We've got a bad name. In this episode, I make the case against the name "industrial and organizational psychology," consider some of the alternatives, and offer up my own suggestion for a new name. I'd love to hear your opinion about this one, so please hit me up on Twitter , LinkedIn , or email to share your perspective. Be sure to check out the episode page for a full transcript o...

Dr. Marcus Crede has been threatened, legally and physically. His crime? Pointing out problems in published research. Lack of pre-registration, lack of power analysis, obvious calculation errors, impossible statistical results...authors, editors, peer-reviewers and readers are not doing so well. What is happening and what can we do about it? Check out the episode page here .

Can you validly and reliably measure a construct with just a single item? If so, what does that mean for academics and practitioners? In this episode, Dr. Russell Matthews (University of Alabama), Laura Pineault (Wayne State University), and Yeong-Hyun Hong (University of Alabama), join me to talk about their new paper, Normalizing the Use of Single-Item Measures: Validation of the Single-Item Com...

What can we learn about leadership from the Marvel Cinematic Universe? An awful lot, if our guides are Dr. Gordon B Schmidt and Dr. Sy Islam . In this episode, I talk to Gordon and Sy about how they first got interested in Marvel, why the MCU is such a great setting for exploring leadership practices, and how they worked together to create Leaders Assemble! Leadership in the MCU . Be sure to check...

One of the world’s foremost experts on the psychology of video games is one of us! Jamie Madigan, Ph. D. is the I-O psychologist behind the blog, podcast, and media empire called  The Psychology of Video Games . In the first level, Jamie and I talk about how a good workplace is like a videogame and why that’s a cool topic for book. In the boss level, we talk about science communication, sounding l...

How do practitioners learn about our research? What topics and questions do they wish we would research? How can we communicate our research more effectively? In this episode, I speak to Marc Effron, talent management consultant and author of One Page Talent Management about these questions and many more. Check out the episode page for Marc's bio, links, and a full episode transcript.

Robert has questions and I don't have the answers. But maybe you do. Robert is a junior at Marist College, majoring in psychology, and he plans to apply to grad schools in I-O psych after graduation. He has a lot of questions about the search and admission process that I am not equipped to answer. But you, my dear audience, have a wealth of experience to share with him. Listen to this episode and...

Before she became an I-O psychologist, Courtney Keim worked as a server and bartender. In this second part of a two-part episode, Dr. Keim reflects on why bartenders make good I-O psychologists, how she chose I-O psych by a process of elimination, and how to read the early warning signs that you, too, may be a little I-O psychologist all along. Visit the episode page for a full transcript, links,...

Before she became an I-O psychologist, Courtney Keim worked at a residential treatment center for traumatized boys. In this first part of a two-part episode, Dr. Keim reflects on how those six brutal weeks influenced her later career as an I-O psychologist and professor. Along the way, we discuss integrity tests, stress, coping, and those little glimmers of insight that convince some of us that we...