A imagem da psicologia organizacional e do trabalho entre estudantes de psicologia: decifrando o status de “lobo mau da psicologia”

Abstract

Introduction: This research begins with a historical analysis of the Work and Organizational Psychology (WOP) as a field of practice for psychologists, as of the Industrial Psychology era up to the more recent policies targeting both mental health and diversity, acknowledging that an evolution of the field has taken place, as psychologists expanded the range of their role as conciliators between organizations and workers. Goals: The study seeks to comprehend the image that Psychology students from PUC-SP have of the Work and Organizational Psychology (WOP) field. Method: This is an exploratory quanti-qualtitative research. The data collection occurred in two approaches: the first was the distribution of an online survey directed at students from their first to their fifth year in the Psychology graduation program; the second was the conduction of three semi-structured interviews. The qualitative data gathered was submitted to a linguistic material analysis supported by Discourse Analyisis with eventual support of Content Analysis, while the quantitative data were evaluated through the answer frequency and the study of correlation between certain variables. Results: the results gathered indicate that the students have a mostly positive image of WOP, but still with certain discourses that point to outdated views of the field, as well as a more pessimistic perception in relation to the image held by their classmates. Conclusions: Even though the sample displayed a positive view of WOP, the image of a Big Bad Wolf of Psychology still remains, despite the progress experienced in the field