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Work Psychology

Code: 102588
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Psychology OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Enrique Baleriola Escudero
Email :
enrique.baleriola@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Lídia Arroyo Prieto

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

This is a fourth-year subject, which means that it builds on the knowledge and perspectives acquired on all the previous courses. Of particular importance is the knowledge acquired in the subjects Social Influence and Groups and Psychology of Organizations

Objectives

The aim of the optional subject in Occupational Psychology is to provide the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to understand and analyse the psychological and social processes in the workplace and organisational setting. The aim is for students to develop critical analysis and reflective skills on topics such as: globalisation, labour management policies and practices, the new reality of work, psychosocial risk factors and occupational health, the impact of technology on work, work identity, or psychological intervention in the workplace. Additionally, the ethical aspects and professional responsibility in the field of Work Psychology will be addressed.


Learning objectives:

  • Use the basic vocabulary and categories of analysis and intervention in the field of social psychology applied to work and labor relations.
  • Describe the sociohistorical development of work and labor relations.
  • Recognize the construction of work as a central category of subjectivity.
  • Explain the psychosocial impact of the occupational situation and working conditions.
  • Discuss epistemological, theoretical, ethical and methodological aspects of research and psychosocial intervention in the field of work and its organization.
  • Identify different types of psychosocial risk factors in the contemporary work environment.
  • Describe and assess the psychosocial impact of the different types of risk factors analyzed.

Learning outcomes

  1. Develop strategies for preventative intervention in the area of health in the workplace.
  2. Relate organisational factors with personal needs.
  3. Recognise the indicators of poorly designed workplaces.
  4. Identify the variables involved in psychosocial risks.
  5. Plan actions and resources required for intervention.
  6. Coordinate actions and actors involved in the intervention.
  7. Organize and implement the intervention plan.
  8. Develop techniques aimed at negotiating mediation and conflict resolution.
  9. Use appropriate terminology to people with whom you interact.
  10. Adapt the content and methodology of communication to different situations.
  11. Actively participate in the formulation of social, professional and ethical rules in activities related to the profession.
  12. Identify the social, economic and/or environmental implications of academic and professional activities in the area of your knowledge.
  13. Assess the impact of the difficulties, prejudices and discriminations that actions or projects may involve, in the short or long term, in relation to certain persons or groups.
  14. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality and discrimination present in society.
  15. Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
  16. Communicate in an inclusive manner avoiding the use of sexist or discriminatory language.
  17. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  18. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  19. Propose new experience-based methods or alternative solutions.
  20. Weigh up the risks and opportunities of both one's own and other people's proposals for improvement.
  21. Propose new ways of measuring the viability, success or failure of the implementation of innovative proposals or ideas.
  22. Propose viable projects and actions to boost social, economic and/or environmental benefits.

Contents





The contents of the course will revolve around the following topics:



Topic 1. Introduction to Psychology of work (definition, historical evolution, concept of work, modalities and dimensions).

Topic 2. Paid work and theories of work (classical theories of work, contemporary theories of work, critical theories).

Topic 3. Liberalism and Neoliberalism (subjectivity and identity, entrepreneur of the self, privatization of public organizations, new public management, managerialism).

Topic 4. Psychology of work and technology (industrial revolutions, psychopolitics, surveillance capitalism).

Topic 5. he challenges of work in the 21st century (ODS, mental health and work, telework and gender inequality from the psychology of work).





Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
S2. Individual Assessment 4 0.16
S1.Group Assessment 10 0.4
A2.Individual work 33 1.32
D1. Lectures 24 0.96
A3.Collective work 40 1.6
D2. Seminars 12 0.48
A.1 Reading relevant literature 25 1

The teaching methodology of the subject is aimed at promoting the autonomy, reflection and critical attitude of the student body. Those contents that, by their nature, allow it, will be addressed from a gender perspective. Likewise, throughout the course equal participation in the subject will be promoted.


Following the order of the training activities presented, the autonomous activities will consist of the individual review of bibliographic and documentary material, which will lead to the creation of diagrams, concept maps and summaries, which will be used later in individual and group work.


The directed activities will be of two types: master classes and classroom group sessions. In both cases, the sessions will last 2 hours, but, although the master classes will be held weekly, the classroom group sessions will be held, for the most part, biweekly. Both will incorporate teaching innovations such as problem-based learning, debates and round tables, or the implementation, by the student body, of the roles of researchers and facilitators in the classroom.


However, the development of the activities directed in the classroom will contemplate:

  • 12 master classes: Where, basically, the theory will be addressed.
  • 6 classroom group sessions: Where the oral and written presentations of the coursework and reports will be displayed and worked on. The final session will be devoted to the presentations of the coursework.


Finally, the supervised activities will revolve around issues associated with the design and preparation of the classroom group sessions.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Ev1. Multiple alternative exam on the contents of the theory program 30 2 0.08 2, 3, 4, 9, 12, 14, 17, 18
Ev3. Work portfolio 40 0 0 2, 5, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20
Ev2. Individual work: case analysis 30 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22

The achievement of the competences in this subject will be evaluated through the following evidence, contemplated in the evaluation guidelines of the Faculty of Psychology: https://www.uab.cat/doc/DOC_Pautes_Avaluacio_2025-2026


Evidence Code Denomination Weigt Format Autorship Via Week
Ev1 Multiple alternative exam on the contents of the theory program 30% Written Individual Presential Second evaluation period
Ev2 Individual work: case analysis 30% Written Individual Presential Between weeks 7 and 10
Ev3 Work portfolio 40% Written Individual Presential-monitoring Between weeks 10 and 12


As indicated by the Faculty's assessment guidelines, the definition of a passed module in continuous assessment, on a 0-10 scale, must include having obtained a minimum mark of 5.0 points and a mark of 4.0 points or higher in each of the in-person assessment activities that contribute 20% or more to the mark for this continuous assessment. Furthermore, students who have submitted learning evidence with a weighting of 40% or more cannot be marked as “Not Graded”.


Regarding the feedback on each piece of evidence, this will be provided in two ways: 1) In writing, via Moodle, with comments and areas for improvement for each submission, as well as the strengths of the evidence (week 8 for individual work, and at the end of the semester for group work and the exam); and 2) Orally in class, with individual learning monitoring and feedback (week 8 for individual work, and week 12 for the portfolio).


A resit will be available for students who have NOT passed the continuous assessment, provided that the assessed work accounts for two-thirds or more of the total mark and they have achieved a final mark of less than 5 but 3.5 or higher. This will be a resit exam covering the entire course material.The maximum final grade that can be achieved in the subject through recovery is a 5.


Students on their second or subsequent enrolment are not assessed by a single, non-recoverable summative exam.


The single assessment will be held on the same day and at the same time as the second assessment period's exam, and will comprise a range of activities detailed below: a multiple-choice exam, the individual report, and the development of practical cases. The single assessment is requested online and must be approved by the Faculty. For the single assessment, the assessment system will be as follows:


Evidence Code Denomination Weight Duration Data
Ev1 Multiple alternative exam 30%
Second evaluation period
Ev2 Individual report: theoretical-empirical essay 30%
Ev3 Development of the practical cases 40%


Copying or plagiarism: According to Art. 116, point 10 of the UAB Regulations, in the event that the student body performs any irregularity (copying, plagiarism...) that may lead to a significant variation in the qualification of an evaluation act, this will be scored with a 0. In the event that there are several irregularities in the evidence of learning or use of AI in the preparation of their answers, the final grade will be 0. In the case of written evidence (EV2 and EV3), it will be will use the Urkund program to verify possible plagiarism.


The translation of the in-person assessment tests will be delivered if the requirements established in Article 263 are met and the request is made online (e-form) during week 4 (more information on the faculty website).


For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or translations. Students must clearly identify which parts have beengenerated using this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. Failure to disclose the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in a partial or total penalty on the activity grade, or more severe penalties in serious cases.

Bibliography

Sources of basic information:

  • Alcover, C. M. Martínez, D. Rodríguez, F. i Domínguez, R. (2004). Introducción a la Psicología del Trabajo. Madrid: McGraw-Hill.
  • Arendt. H. (2020). La Condición Humana. Paidós.
  • Blanch, J. M. (2012). Trabajar y Bienestar. Barcelona: UOC.
  • Foucault, M. (2009). Nacimiento de la biopolítica: curso del Collège de France (1978-1979). Akal.
  • Gálvez, A. i Tirado, F. (2012) Capitalismo y trabajo. Problemàtiques socials del món contemporani. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
  • Garrido, A. (coord.). (2004). Sociopsicología del Trabajo. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
  • García-Ramos, T., Díaz-Juarbe, R., i Santiago-Estrada, S. (2013). Historicidad crítica de la psicología industrial/organizacional: hacia una nueva psicología del trabajo y las organizaciones. Psicología desde el Caribe, 30(1), 146-176. Retrieved June 25, 2023, from http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0123-417X2013000100008&lng=en&tlng=es.
  • Han, B. C. (2014). Psicopolítica: neoliberalismo y nuevas técnicas de poder. Herder.
  • Köhler, H. i Martín, A. (2005). Manual de sociología del trabajo y de las relaciones laborales. Delta.
  • Martín-Quirós, M.A. i Zarco, V. (2009). Psicología del Trabajo, de las Organizaciones y de los Recursos Humanos. Madrid: Pirámide.
  • Monbiot, G. y Hutchison, P. (2025). La Doctrina Invisible. Capitán Swing
  • Romero Caraballo, M. (2017). Significado del trabajo desde la psicología del trabajo. Una revisión histórica, psicológica y social. Psicología desde el Caribe, 34(2), 120-138. https://doi.org/10.14482/psdc.33.2.72783
  • Selva, C. i Tresserra, O. (2014). Flexibilidad global, sinécdoque de progreso. Athenea digital, 14(2).
  • Saura, G., & Bolívar, A. (2019). Sujeto académico neoliberal: Cuantificado, digitalizado y bibliometrificado. REICE. Revista Iberoamericana sobre Calidad, Eficacia y Cambio en Educación, 17(4), 9-26.
  • Tirado, F., Gálvez, A. i Baleriola, E. (2017). Las organizaciones en el siglo XXI. Un enfoque psicosocial y político. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
  • Tirado, F., Baleriola, E. i Gálvez, A. (2017). Critical Management Studies. Hacia unas organizaciones más éticas y sostenibles. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
  • Zuboff, Soshana. (2020). La Era del Capitalismo de la Vigilancia. Paidós.

Specialized information journals:

  • Archivos de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales
  • European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology
  • International Journal of Organisational Behavior
  • Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
  • Journal of Organizational Behavior
  • Revista de Psicología del Trabajo y las Organizaciones. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology

Rellevant institutions:

  • European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications
  • International Labour Organization (ILO). http://www.ilo.org/global/publications
  • Instituto Nacional de Seguridad e Higiene en el Trabajo http://www.insht.es/portal/site/Insht/menuitem
  • Ministerio de Trabajo e Inmigración: http://www.mtin.es
  • Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales http://www.mtas.es
  • European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. http://osha.europa.eu/publications
  • U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Assistant Secretary. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. http://www.osha.gov/
  • Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). www.siop.org/gtp/ Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP). http://www.eawop.org/web/European

Software

Not Applicable: No specific software will be used.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 11 Catalan first semester morning-mixed