Final answer:
Job analysis is most important for selection and placement in industrial psychology, as it defines the tasks and necessary worker characteristics for successful job performance, influencing the hiring process and providing criteria for selecting the right candidates.The correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The area of industrial psychology for which job analysis is most important is C) selection and placement. Job analysis is a critical process in Industrial and Organizational (I-O) Psychology that involves determining and describing the specific tasks associated with a job and the characteristics required of the worker to successfully perform those tasks. This process is the foundation for effective selection and placement because it helps to match the right person with the right job. This is achieved by identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed for the job and then finding individuals who possess these attributes. Effective job analysis ensures that the selection process is accurate and leads to better job performance and satisfaction.
Training, performance appraisal, and job redesign are also areas of industrial psychology where job analysis plays a role, but its most fundamental impact is on selection and placement. This is because job analysis directly informs the criteria used to choose the right candidates during the hiring process. Once an employee is selected, the same job analysis can also serve as a foundation for their training, ongoing performance evaluation, and any future redesigning of the job to meet changing organizational needs.