Case Studies in I-o Psychology : Practical Applications of Science

As a discipline, industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology has long embraced its role as both a science and a practice; the field is a personification of the scientist-practitioner model. However, the translation of new science into accepted practice can be challenging, and the field often wrestles with the best way to motivate a rich dialogue across the breadth of the field, from science to practice. The editors of this book believe that case studies are an underutilized resource for enriching this dialogue.

In this volume are assembled 20 cases that show how I-O psychologists created programs backed by theory and research to address real-world issues in organizations. The cases are diverse and cover several areas of this discipline: how we select people to fill jobs, develop leaders, and facilitate inclusion and belongingness; as well as cases that show how technology is being deployed in our work, and how we can promote safe and healthy workplaces.

This book is an important tool in educating future I-O psychologists in the application of science in our practice. It is also a useful guide for practitioners, providing insight into how various interventions have been implemented successfully and the lessons that were learned along the way. Throughout the book, the underlying premise is that science and practice are interdependent parts of a cycle, where each piece informs the other - a cycle that, when balanced, leads to more effective organizational programs and triggers new questions to be answered by our research.

Rick Jacobs, Emeritus professor of psychology at Penn State University and science advisor for Talogy. He has been awarded major research grants from the U.S. Departments of Labor, Transportation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and PNC Bank. Prof. Jacobs is the author of over 70 research articles and book chapters and has given 100 professional presentations.
At Penn State, he is a member of the Schreyer Honors College Distinguished Faculty and their Board of Advisors for the Presidential Leadership Academy. Prof. Jacobs developed the Deloitte Leadership Development Center and is a member of the board of Hillel.
An avid downhill skier, fly fisherman, and collector of Groucho Marx memorabilia, he is often found playing one of the 5-string banjos from his collection.


Douglas H. Reynolds is Executive Vice President, Product Strategy and Innovation at APTMetrics, where he develops and implements software-based assessments that inform talent strategy in large organizations. In this role, Doug is an advisor, author, coach, and specialist in the use of people data to enhance leadership performance and reduce corporate risk. His consulting work focuses on the deployment of technology―based behavioral simulations used for executive and leadership evaluation. Doug has published and presented frequently on topics related to the intersection of organizational psychology and technology. He is the series editor for the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology's (SIOP) Professional Practice book series and has co-authored or co-edited five books, most recently Case Studies in I-O Psychology: Practical Applications of Science (2025). He is a Fellow and Past President of SIOP (2012-2013) and recipient of SIO's Distinguished Professional Contributions Award.