The Importance of Sample Composition Depends on the Research Question. Issue 1 (23rd March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gillespie, Michael A.; Gillespie, Jennifer Z.; Brodke, Michelle H.; Balzer, William K.
• Is Part Of: Industrial and organizational psychology. Volume 9:Issue 1(2016:Mar.)
• Page Start: 207
• Page End: 211
• Publication Date: 2016-03-23
• Subjects: Psychology, Industrial -- Periodicals; Organizational behavior -- Periodicals; 158.705
• DOI: 10.1017/iop.2015.137
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1754-9426

Abstract

Abstract : Bergman and Jean (2016 ) compare published industrial and organizational (I-O) literature with labor statistics, demonstrating an underrepresentation of "workers" (i.e., "wage earners, laborers, first-line personnel, freelancers, contract workers") relative to managerial, professional, and executive positions. They note that one of four ways in which worker underrepresentation undermines the utility of I-O psychology research is that we could miss the role of worker status as a main effect on important variables and/or a moderator of key relationships, which could hinder understanding of important phenomena as they relate to workers. We applaud the emphasis on workers and agree with this basic premise.