Final answer:
Lillian Gilbreth was the first woman to receive a PhD in industrial/organizational psychology. Her work significantly influenced both industrial efficiency and psychological management practices, despite the gender barriers of her time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The management theorist who was the first woman to receive a PhD in industrial/organizational psychology was Lillian Gilbreth. Gilbreth's work spanned various fields including psychology, engineering, and management. She applied her psychological expertise to industrial settings, contributing to efficiency improvements and worker satisfaction. Her work remains influential today, as she introduced ideas such as shelving on refrigerator doors and foot-pedal operated trash cans. Despite the challenges faced by women in the early 20th century, her ingenuity and contributions to industrial and organizational psychology were groundbreaking.
Although Margaret Floy Washburn was the first woman awarded a doctoral degree in psychology in 1894, it was Gilbreth who specialized in the industrial/organizational aspect of the field. Mary Whiton Calkins also made significant contributions to psychology and met the requirements for a PhD, but did not receive it due to being a woman. However, when specifically discussing industrial/organizational psychology, Lillian Gilbreth stands as the pioneer female figure with her PhD honored in that specialty.