oa De paradox van de tijd en de toekomst van A&O-psychologisch onderzoek

The paradox of time and the future of W&O-psychology research

Robert A. Roe, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 17, October 2004, nr. 5, pp. 342-350

Although the behavioral phenomena studied by W&O-psychology are essentially time-based, research almost completely ignores the time factor. This paradox is the focus of the present article. The consequences of neglecting the time aspect are discussed. Using a ficticious dataset that includes 2 variables, 10 respondents and 10 moments of measurement, and which is analyzed in six different ways, it is demonstrated that neglect of the time factor can lead to distorted results and wrong conclusions about the relationships between the variables. A plea is made for careful reporting on the ways in which the factor time is represented in studies. This is considered to be a first step towards an approach of theory and research that centers on temporal aspects of behavioral phenomena. It is expected that such an approach, which requires entirely new conceptualizations and alternative research methods, will lead to a W&O-psychology that offers a deeper understanding of human behavior in organizations than current insights.