io psych ch. 4 - psychological testing
two approaches to personality tests
self-report inventories & projective techniques
integrity tests
Used to predict and detect employee dishonesty. two types: overt & personality orientated. Research indicates integrity tests measure conscientiousness which would explain why they are valid predictors of performance
examples of projective techniques
Rorschach Inkblot Test & Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
cognitive ability test
Widely used for employee selection because they are highly effective in predicting success in the workplace
race norming
a controversial practice now outlawed, of boosting test scores for minority job applicants to equalize hiring rates. scores for minorities were adjusted upward
banding
a controversial practice of grouping test scores for minority job applicants to equalize hiring rates
group tests
a large number of people at the same time
computerized adaptive tests
a means of administering psychological tests in which an applicant's response to an item determines the level of difficulty of succeeding items
situational judgment tests
a means of assessing behavior and performance in job-related questions
face validity
a subjective impression of how well test items seem to be related to the requirements of a job
criterion-related validity
a type of validity concerned with the relationship between test scores and subsequent job performance
content validity
a type of validity that assesses test items to ensure that they adequately sample the skills the test is designed to measure
construct validity
a type of validity that attempts to determine the psychological characteristics measured by a test
examples of self-report inventories
1. Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey • Yields scores on 10 personality traits 2. Minnesota Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) • First published in 1943, is the most frequently used personality test for employee selection and clinical work • Especially useful for jobs requiring a high level of psychological adjustment • Repeated administrations result in less extreme scores 3. California Psychological Inventory • Provides scores on 17 personality dimensions • Used to predict success in teaching and health care • Has scales to identify leadership and management potential, creative potential, and social maturity
examples of interest tests
1. Strong Interest Inventory 2. Kuder Occupational Interest Survey
examples of cognitive ability tests
1. otis self-administering test of mental ability- group test for lower level non-managerial jobs 2. wonderlic personnel test- 50 item test of general mental ability (12 minute limit) and correlates with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 3. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R)- individually administered (11 subtests) which takes about 75 minutes
example of aptitude test
Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test • 68 pictures with questions about physical laws or principles of mechanical operation • Tape recorded instructions for those with limited reading ability • Group or individual administration • Takes about 30 minutes to complete • Used for jobs in such areas as aviation, construction, and oil refineries
Big Five Personality Factors
Openness to experience Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism • Conscientiousness and extraversion are effective in predicting job performance, particularly for jobs requiring autonomy • Agreeableness and conscientiousness are important for teamwork
split-halves method
a way to determine test reliability that involves administering a new test to a group of subjects, diving in half the total number of items, and correlating the two sets of scores
test-retest method
a way to determine test reliability that involves administering a new test twice to the same group of subjects and correlating the two sets of scores
equivalent-forms method
a way to determine test reliability that involves administering similar forms of a new test to the same group of subjects and correlating the two sets of scores
concurrent validity
a way to establish criterion-related validity that involves administering a test to employees on the job and correlating their scores with job performance data
predictive validity
an approach to establishing criterion-related validity in which a new test is administered to all job applicants, an all applicants are hired, regardless of test scores. later, when a measure of job performance can be obtained, test scores are correlated with job performance to see how well the test predicted job success
overt integrity tests
directly assess attitudes toward theft and other dishonest behaviors
personality-oriented integrity tests
measure counter-productive behaviors such as general delinquency, impulse control, and conscientiousness
individual tests
one person at a time
self-report personality inventories
personality assessment tests that include questions dealing with situations, symptoms, and feelings. test-takers are asked to indicate how well each item describes themselves or how much they agree with each item
projective techniques
present an ambiguous stimulus, such as an inkblot, to test-takers who project their thoughts, wishes, and feelings in an effort to give it meaning; there are problems with subjectivity
personality tests
psychological tests that assess person traits and feelings
interest tests
psychological tests to assess a person's interests and preferences. these tests are used primarily for career counseling
aptitude tests
psychological tests to measure specific abilities, such as mechanical or clerical skills
objective tests
tests for which the scoring process is free of personal judgment or bias
subjective tests
tests that contain items such as essay questions. the scoring process can be influenced by the personal characteristics and attitudes of the scorer
speed tests
tests that have a fixed time limit, at which point everyone taking the test must stop
power tests
tests that have no time limit. applicants are allowed as much time as they need to complete the test
reliability
the consistency or stability of a response on a psychological test
standardization
the consistency or uniformity of the conditions and procedures for administering a psychological test
validity
the determination of whether a psychology or other selection device measures what it is intended to measures
test norms
the distribution of test scores of a large group of people similar in nature to the job applicants being tested
standardization sample
the group of subjects used to establish test norms. the scores of the standardization sample serve as the point of comparison for determining the relative standing of the persons being tested
validity gerenalization
the idea that tests valid in one situation may also be valid in another situation
rational validity
the type of validity that relates to the nature, properties, and content of a test, independent of its relationship to job performance measures