TOWARD AN INTEGRATION OF ECOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL-PSYCHOLOGY - UNDERMANNING THEORY, ORGANIZATION SIZE, AND JOB-ENRICHMENT

The research on the effects of organization size and subunit size on participants' attitudes and behavior is reviewed from industrial psychology and ecological psychology perspectives. It is suggested that conceptualizing organization or subunit size in terms of Barker's undermanning theory is a more heuristic approach than traditional methods employed by industrial researchers. Moreover, undermanning theory is shown to possess similar assumptions as job enrichment strategies in terms of its effects on organizational behavior. A theoretical model integrating these two theories is presented and discussed. © 1979 Human Sciences Press.