The scientific study of human and animal behavior with the object of understanding why living beings behave as they do.
The Science of Mind
What is Business Psychology?
“Business Psychology is the study and practice of improving working life. It combines an understanding of the science of human behaviour with experience of the world of work to attain effective and sustainable performance for both individuals and organisations”
The Association for Business Psychology
APPLIED SCIENCE
Business Psychology is an applied science that investigates how to make people and organisations more effective. It uses social scientific research methods to study people, workplaces and organisations in order to better align their multiple and sometimes competing needs.
Its goal is to create healthy and productive relationships between people and organisations for mutual benefit.
Business Psychology dictates to organisations what constitutes effective organisational practice.
It has a reciprocal relationship with business and draws insights from those with experience of what works at work.
This enables psychological research to be applied pragmatically and in a way that is appropriate to the situation. It also allows a cross fertilisation of experience from business into psychology and of academic knowledge and rigour from psychology into business.
HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE
WALTER DILL SCOTT
(1901)
Developed laws of suggestibility as a critical mechanism of advertising
Advised companies to take on the “direct command” approach for advertising
Advocated use of illustrations in advertisements
Recommended the use of return coupons
Wrote the following books:
The Theory of Advertising ( 1903)
The Psychology of Advertising (1908)
Influencing Men in Business and Increasing Human
Efficiency in Business (1911)
