Remembering Donald G. Paterson: Before the separation between industrial-organizational and vocational psychology

This article discusses the disconnect between industrial-organizational (I-O) and vocational psychology in the context of Donald Paterson’s career, an applied psychologist who bridged both disciplines. Paterson’s interests in both vocational guidance and personnel selection suggest that these fields are interwoven, despite the prevailing gap separating them in science and practice. Current trends in I-O psychology are discussed that suggest the field is beginning to reconsider the importance of vocational psychology in the modern workplace. We argue that I-O psychology would benefit from such a reconnection by acknowledging its ethical responsibility to improve the workplace for both management and the worker.