Theory & practice : towards a pragmatic science of industrial and organizational psychology?

Abstract

This thesis is a review of the philosophical tradition of pragmatism in response to the long standing concern that there is a gap between theory and practice in the field of Industrial and Organizational (I-O) Psychology. The theory-practice gap is a multifaceted problem that have been attributed to many causes, including the epistemological orientation of the field, the values of the researchers and the structural conditions under which scientists and practitioners operate. Pragmatism provides a radical take on science and philosophy, with a particular orientation towards the practical implications of theory and knowledge claims, which might serve as a basis for future integration of I-O psychology research and practice. A review of the theory-practice gap in the literature is presented before turning to pragmatism, with a particular emphasis on the work of Richard Rorty and Patrick Baert. Finally, pragmatism’s suitability as a possible new paradigm is examined with regard to future I-O psychology research and practice. Although a wholesale adoption of pragmatism would imply a radical shift for I-O psychology, alternatives such as action research, engaged scholarship, and scholarly consulting might have an affinity with pragmatism that can be further explored. The utility of pragmatism would still have to be proven empirically, and further development of pragmatism is suggested through dialog between the involved stakeholders and practice communities.