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Applying Work and Organizational Psychology in the Field of Labor Relations: Exploratory Study in Trade Unions in the Basque Country

Author

Listed:
  • Imanol Ulacia

    (Department of Social Psychology, College of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain)

  • Klara Smith-Etxeberria

    (Department of Basic Psychological Processes and Their Development, College of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain)

  • Angel Beldarrain-Durandegui

    (Department of Social Psychology, College of Psychology, University of the Basque Country, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain)

Abstract

Historically, the relationship between work and organizational psychology and trade union organizations has been one of mutual indifference and neglect. The aim of this study is to explore whether trade union members’ social representations of organizational psychology affect their organizations’ engagement with this discipline, conditioning their ability to derive benefit from its findings. In a sample of 448 members of the four main trade unions of the Basque Autonomous Community in Spain, social representations of six concepts relating to Psychology or Trade Union Activity were explored using the free association technique. Forty-five categories were created and their frequency and percentages were calculated. In addition, the means of the categories shared by the representations of two different concepts were crossed and statistically tested. Although some associations were found between the representations of the two sets of concepts, most were non-significant. These results highlight that the structure of the representations of Psychology gives only a partial explanation for this lack of connection. The implications of the study and its limitations are discussed, and some recommendations for future research are proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • Imanol Ulacia & Klara Smith-Etxeberria & Angel Beldarrain-Durandegui, 2022. "Applying Work and Organizational Psychology in the Field of Labor Relations: Exploratory Study in Trade Unions in the Basque Country," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:12:p:570-:d:992316
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Logan, 2006. "The Union Avoidance Industry in the United States," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 44(4), pages 651-675, December.
    2. Bergman, Mindy E. & Jean, Vanessa A., 2016. "Where Have All the “Workers” Gone? A Critical Analysis of the Unrepresentativeness of Our Samples Relative to the Labor Market in the Industrial–Organizational Psychology Literature," Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(1), pages 84-113, March.
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