Why Organizational Psychology Fails to Attract New Students

If you ask a group of psychology students why they chose their field, you'll often hear about their passion for understanding the human mind, a desire to help others, or a fascination with human behavior. Yet, when it comes to the subfield of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (I/O Psychology), there’s an unsettling trend: it's often left behind in favor of more popular fields like clinical or counseling psychology. Despite is growth in the academic literature, we are seeing fewer and fewer students registering for I/O psychology degrees and even those starting with I/O psychology tend to pivot into other areas later in their academic careers.

But why is this the case? Well, a new study on the motivations for why students don’t pursue I/O psychology degrees highlights the potential reasons why.

The Misalignment of I/O Psychology

Despite being one of the fastest-growing sub-disciplines of psychology, I/O psychology seems to be failing to capture the hearts and minds of the new generations of students. The reasons are not as straightforward as they seem. Recent research from a Central University in India has illuminated three major factors discouraging students from pursuing this specialization: practicality, interest, and personality.

Reason 1: The Practicality Problem

Students often look for a field that offers flexibility, growth opportunities, and a clear pathway to career success. Unfortunately, I/O psychology doesn’t always tick all of these boxes. Unlike clinical psychology, where you can set up an independent practice, choose your clients, and dictate your work schedule, I/O psychology is often perceived as a rigid and inflexible profession that is shackled to the demands of large organisations. Many students feel that I/O psychology will trap them in the traditional 9-to-5 corporate grind, where opportunities for growth, autonomy and personal freedom seem limited.

Furthermore, students see the corporate environment as very uninviting for those with an I/O psychology degree and believe that an MBA or financial degree would hold more weight if someone were to enter the business world. As a result, they perceive I/O psychology as a field with limited scope and growth potential, where their skills may be undervalued or overshadowed by those with business qualifications.

Reason 2: A Lack of Interest in the Corporate World

Another significant factor is the sheer lack of interest in the corporate environment that I/O psychology typically serves. Many students are drawn to psychology because they want to make a tangible difference in people's lives – to heal, to support, and to counsel. These altruistic desires often find a better home in fields like clinical or counselling psychology as these offer direct opportunities to help individuals who are in need.

In contrast, I/O psychology is often associated with "the corporate machine," perceived as dealing more with profits, productivity, and organizational efficiency than with the personal growth and well-being of individuals. This sentiment is supported by the fact that I/O psychology has a strong focus on the quantification of human behaviours (coupled with the fact that statistics is usually a core element of all I/O psychology degrees), where students feel that I/O psychology views people more as a means to an end (or a “number”) rather than unique individuals with their own desires, needs and goals. To many, this feels at odds with their original motivation for studying psychology, making I/O psychology appear dull, impersonal, or even "boring."

Reason 3: Personality and Motivation Mismatches

Further, students believe there's a clear mismatch between their personality traits and the demands of an I/O psychologist. Students often describe themselves as empathetic, people-oriented, and driven by a desire to help others on a personal level. They see I/O psychology as requiring a more corporate mindset, one that demands diplomacy, business acumen, and a competitive edge.

This misalignment can be summarized by the concept of "person-environment fit" – the idea that people are more satisfied and successful in roles that match their personality, skills, and interests. When students feel they lack the 'soft skills' needed for corporate navigation or view themselves as ill-suited for the organizational context, they naturally gravitate toward fields that feel more congruent with their self-identity.

The Bigger Picture: A Crisis of Relevance

So, what does this mean for the field of I/O psychology? The reality is that the field is suffering from a crisis of relevance. It’s struggling to connect with the very people who are supposed to drive its future – students. The profession's image is often outdated and pigeonholed into an unappealing corporate box that fails to resonate with the values of emerging generations. But the truth is, I/O psychology is and has the potential to be so much more than the perceptions students hold about the profession. It’s a field that can transform workplaces, enhance employee well-being, and contribute to building positive, human-centered organizations and societies.

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Repositioning I/O Psychology

To bridge this gap, we need to reposition and clearly communicate that I/O psychology is a dynamic, impactful, and socially relevant field. We need to articulate to our students that I/O psychology it’s not just about profits and productivity but about creating work environments that allow people to thrive. I/O psychologists can be change agents who promote well-being, equity, and personal growth within organizations… outcomes that are all deeply aligned with the values many psychology students hold dear.

Fundamentally, we should redefine how we introduce I/O psychology to students, and emphasize its real-world impact as well as highlight the diverse career opportunities it offers beyond the ‘traditional’ corporate sphere. I think it’s about shifting the narrative from one of rigid, impersonal corporate structures to one of human potential, growth, and positive organizational change.

Factors Discouraging Students from Choosing I/O Psychology and How We Can Address Them

Source: Llewellyn E. van Zyl

The Path Forward

In practical terms, we all know that I/O psychology has much to offer to the world but it's up to us to communicate that value effectively and clearly. We need to present I/O psychology as a profession that is not just relevant but essential for the modern workplace – one that champions human potential, nurtures well-being, and drives positive change. By rethinking how we position and promote this field, we can inspire the next generation of psychologists to see I/O not as a second choice but as a pathway to make a real impact.

But how do we as a collective challenge outdated perceptions and how do we build a new narrative around the importance and impact of our field? If we don’t prioritise clearly communicating our value proposition, we risk losing a valuable opportunity to enrich the field with diverse, passionate individuals who have the potential to reshape how organizations function. So, let’s rethink, reimagine, and reignite the passion for I/O psychology – because the future of (our) work depends on it.