Chapter 6

A strategic approach to selection requires ways to measure the effectiveness of selection tools. According to your text, which of the following is a basic standard for this? A. The method can be personally relatable. B. The method will highlight invalid information. C. The information provided will always be specific to the candidates applying. D. The method offers practical value. E. The legality of the selection criteria depends on which country the measurement is performed.

D. The method offers practical value.

Tests designed to measure such mental abilities as verbal skills, quantitative skills, and reasoning ability are referred to as _____ tests. A. job performance B. honesty C. personality inventories D. cognitive ability E. physical ability

D. cognitive ability

For tests that measure abstract qualities such as intelligence or leadership skills, validity would best be established by _____ validation. A. criterion-related B. content C. concurrent D. construct E. predictive

D. construct

Identify the detail that can be asked in an application form to gather information about suitable candidates. A. marital status B. history of disabilities C. number of children D. educational background E. applicant's race

D. educational background

Which of the following is a "Big Five" personality trait? A. physical ability B. cognitive ability C. aptitude D. extroversion E. honesty

D. extroversion

Gary, the new human resource manager at Alchemy Corp., proposes using automated systems for screening résumés of applicants. Gary claims that automated systems are better than humans at picking the right profiles. Which of the following statements weakens Gary's claim? A. Automated systems might reject qualified people who didn't use the same keywords as the job description. B. Automated systems reduce the pace of the selection process by a large margin. C. Automated systems prevent candidates from knowing the status of their applications. D. Automated systems do not help in matching résumés to the keywords in job requirements. E. Automated systems refrain from replying to the candidates when their profiles are rejected.

A. Automated systems might reject qualified people who didn't use the same keywords as the job description.

Which of the following is a requirement under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986? A. Employers must verify and maintain records on the legal rights of applicants to work in the United States. B. Employers must file a completed Form I-9 with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and retain the documents for at least ten years. C. Employers must pay lower wages to immigrant workers. D. Employers must verify the legal age of employees who do not hold American citizenship. E. Employers must ask a potential employee's religion.

A. Employers must verify and maintain records on the legal rights of applicants to work in the United States.

Which of the following is true about content validity? A. It is usually measured on the basis of expert judgment. B. It indicates how free a measurement is from random errors. C. It is most suitable for tests that measure abstract qualities. D. A test that scores high on content validity tends to score low on generalizability. E. It is useful for tests that measure intelligence and leadership quality.

A. It is usually measured on the basis of expert judgment.

Which of the following is true about cognitive ability tests? A. They are especially valid for jobs requiring adaptability. B. They are relatively expensive compared to the other tests. C. They measure strength, endurance, psychomotor abilities, and other physical abilities. D. They are free from legal complications. E. They are especially valid for simple jobs.

A. They are especially valid for jobs requiring adaptability.

Identify the correct statement regarding job performance tests. A. They provide fair evaluations for applicants. B. They have the lowest level of validity compared to other tests. C. These tests are highly generalizable. D. Customization of these tests for various jobs is inexpensive. E. They are best suited for identifying the particular skills or traits the individual possesses.

A. They provide fair evaluations for applicants.

The controversial practice that treats a range of scores as being similar and thus allows employers to give preference to underrepresented groups within these similar scores is known as _____. A. banding B. generalizing C. affirmative action D. sensitizing E. race norming

A. banding

In general, the results of reference checks for job applicants will be most valid if employers _____. A. contact many references B. rely exclusively on the list provided by applicants C. avoid direct contact with references D. restrict contact with references through e-mails E. receive positive opinions about the applicants from their references

A. contact many references

Which of the following measures of validity is based on showing a substantial correlation between test scores and job performance scores? A. criterion-related validity B. diagnostic validity C. content validity D. convergent validity E. construct validity

A. criterion-related validity

If a person who is a reference gives negative information about a job candidate, there is a chance the candidate will claim _____, meaning the person damaged the applicant's reputation by making statements that cannot be proved truthful. A. defamation B. misappropriation C. fraud D. misrepresentation E. negligence

A. defamation

A typing test for an administrative assistant's job is an example of a(n) _____ test. A. job performance B. cognitive ability C. physical ability D. personality inventories E. emotional intelligence

A. job performance

In-basket tests are examples of _____ tests. A. job performance B. physical ability C. honesty D. personality E. cognitive ability

A. job performance

According to your text, selection methods should accurately predict how well individuals perform, and they should A. produce information that actually benefits the organization. B. not cost the company a great deal of money. C. all be applicable to many different roles in many different locations. D. only be applicable to the company where they are being used. E. only be used on current employees with leadership aspirations.

A. produce information that actually benefits the organization.

The _____ of a type of measurement indicates how free that measurement is from random error. A. reliability B. validity C. generalizability D. utility E. verifiability

A. reliability

Reliability answers the important question of A. whether you are measuring something accurately. B. whether you are measuring something that matters. C. how you are measuring correlation coefficients. D. how many errors something can achieve while still being considered useful. E. intelligence in employees.

A. whether you are measuring something accurately.

Which of the following is an accurate feature of a job application form? A. It is an expensive way of gathering information from candidates. B. It ensures that certain standard categories of information are obtained. C. It prevents human resource personnel from ranking candidates. D. It has a customized format for every candidate. E. It is usually unsigned and undated.

B. It ensures that certain standard categories of information are obtained.

Which of the following best describes the multiple-hurdle model of personnel selection? A. It is a process of selecting employees in which a very high score on one type of assessment can make up for a low score on another. B. It is a process of arriving at a selection decision by eliminating some candidates at each stage of the selection process. C. It is a selection process in which several members of an organization form a panel and interview each candidate. D. It is a testing program that establishes different norms for hiring members of different racial groups. E. It is a selection process that treats a range of scores as being similar and divides candidates into groups based on the range into which they fall.

B. It is a process of arriving at a selection decision by eliminating some candidates at each stage of the selection process.

Identify the correct statement regarding predictive validation. A. It is the least effective method of measuring validity. B. It uses the test scores of all applicants and looks for a relationship between the scores and future performance. C. It involves administering a test to people who currently hold a job and comparing their scores to existing measures of their current job performance. D. It is the quickest and easiest method compared to other ways of measuring validity. E. Its scores are influenced by applicants' job experiences.

B. It uses the test scores of all applicants and looks for a relationship between the scores and future performance.

Identify an accurate difference between predictive validation and concurrent validation. A. Predictive validation correlates current job roles and job performance; concurrent validation does not. B. Predictive validation correlates future job performance and applicant test scores; concurrent validation does not. C. Concurrent validation is very time-consuming; predictive validation is not. D. Concurrent validation is difficult to employ; predictive validation is not. E. Concurrent validation is utilized on new recruits; predictive validation is not.

B. Predictive validation correlates future job performance and applicant test scores; concurrent validation does not.

For what purpose do organizations typically review applicant résumés? A. as a substitute for interviews B. as a basis for deciding which candidates to investigate further C. as a way to avoid the cost of administering tests related to job performance D. as a way to control the content of the information and the way it is presented E. as a way to obtain an objective source of information

B. as a basis for deciding which candidates to investigate further

To test the validity of a selection test for advanced widget designers, Techspark Inc. administers the test to its current widget designers. The test results are then compared with existing measures of job performance. In this instance, what type of validation is being used by Techspark? A. predictive validation B. concurrent validation C. content validation D. construct validation E. diagnostic validation

B. concurrent validation

The consistency between test items or problems and the kinds of situations or problems that occur in a job is known as _____. A. predictive validity B. content validity C. concurrent validity D. diagnostic validity E. construct validity

B. content validity

Identify the traits that are found in a conscientious person. A. sociable, gregarious, assertive, and talkative B. dependable, organized, persevering, and achievement-oriented C. courteous, trusting, good-natured, and tolerant D. emotionally stable, nondepressed, secure, and content E. curious, imaginative, artistically sensitive, and broad-minded

B. dependable, organized, persevering, and achievement-oriented

A test that is valid in other contexts beyond the context in which it was developed is known as a(n) _____ method. A. practical B. generalizable C. reliable D. invalid E. concurrent

B. generalizable

If a former employer gives a glowing statement about a candidate and the new employer later learns of misconduct on the part of the employee during his or her previous employment, the new employer may sue the former for _____. A. negligence B. misrepresentation C. defamation D. misappropriation E. libel

B. misrepresentation

Emma, a manager at Synergy Inc., conducted an interview with Sean for a job as regional sales manager. During the course of the interview, she asked Sean to take a test that would assess Sean's integrity by asking him about his attitude toward shoplifting and his own experiences with shoplifting, if any. Which of the following tests was conducted by Emma? A. exit test B. paper-and-pencil honesty test C. cognitive ability test D. work sample test E. in-basket test

B. paper-and-pencil honesty test

Which of the following tests is a legal means to test the integrity of job applicants and generally involves asking applicants directly about their attitudes toward theft and their own experiences with theft? A. polygraph test B. paper-and-pencil honesty test C. cognitive ability test D. personality inventory test E. in-basket test

B. paper-and-pencil honesty test

The extent to which something provides economic value greater than its cost is called its _____. A. practicality B. utility C. validity D. accountability E. reliability

B. utility

The _____ of an employment test is indicated by the extent to which the test scores relate to actual job performance. A. reliability B. validity C. generalizability D. utility E. dependability

B. validity

Which of the following statements is true of an assessment center? A. It is a place where job applicants for manufacturing jobs undergo physical ability tests. B. It conducts a single test for all job applicants to test their technical potential. C. It uses multiple selection methods to rate applicants on their management potential. D. It is a selection method generally used for unskilled applicants. E. It has the lowest validity because it combines several assessment methods.

C. It uses multiple selection methods to rate applicants on their management potentia

Which of the following laws requires employers to make "reasonable accommodation" to incapacitated individuals? A. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 B. The Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1988 C. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991 D. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 E. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938

C. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991

Which of the following statements is true of selection decisions? A. They should be a simple matter of whom the supervisor likes best. B. They should be based on the amount of confidence observed in job candidates. C. They should be based on which candidate best meets the requirements of the position. D. They should be a simple matter of which candidate will take the lowest offer. E. They should be based on motivation, not abilities.

C. They should be based on which candidate best meets the requirements of the position.

Which of the following exemplifies the best use of utility for a selection procedure? A. Bette's, a suburban diner, spends a lot of time and money recruiting a server. B. A local gas station has a recruitment procedure that spans four months for the position of a cashier. C. Tywell Capital, an international investment firm, spends close to a million dollars to hire a renowned economist as its new CEO. D. Shinecare, a local car wash, employs a three-month-long selection procedure for hiring one of its operators. E. Haleview High School conducts several rounds of interviews to recruiting a maintenance worker.

C. Tywell Capital, an international investment firm, spends close to a million dollars to hire a renowned economist as its new CEO.

Generally, an organization checks references A. only if it believes the information provided by an applicant is incorrect. B. immediately after an applicant submits a résumé. C. after it has determined that an applicant is a finalist for a job. D. because it is a legal requirement under equal employment opportunity laws. E. because it is an unbiased source of information.

C. after it has determined that an applicant is a finalist for a job.

How can individuals acting as references for job applicants minimize the risk of being sued for defamation or misrepresentation? A. by giving as much information as possible B. by exclusively giving out positive information about a candidate C. by only giving information about observable, job-related behaviors D. by giving only broad opinions E. by excluding employment dates and the employee's final salary

C. by only giving information about observable, job-related behaviors

Identify the limitation of cognitive ability tests. A. lack of validity of the tests for complex jobs B. lack of reliable and commercially available tests C. legal issues related to administering the tests D. lack of validity of the tests for those jobs that require adaptability E. relatively high cost of the tests

C. legal issues related to administering the tests

A _____ interview allows interviewer discretion in choosing the questions to be asked and generally includes open-ended questions about the candidate's strengths, weaknesses, career goals, and work experience. A. behavioral B. situational C. nondirective D. structured E. computerized

C. nondirective

Grace is the HR manager of Trelsoft Inc., a software company located in Boston. She wants to establish the validity of a test designed for computer technicians using a predictive validation strategy. Accordingly, Grace must administer the test to _____. A. at least half the present computer technicians in Trelsoft B. people doing similar jobs in other companies C. people applying for computer technician jobs in Trelsoft D. only those computer technicians in Trelsoft who are performing at acceptable levels E. a random selection of computer technicians currently employed at Trelsoft

C. people applying for computer technician jobs in Trelsoft

In most organizations, the first step in the personnel selection process is A. verifying the applicants' qualifications through reference and background checks. B. negotiating with the employee regarding salary and benefits. C. screening the applications to see which ones meet the basic requirements for the job. D. administering tests and reviewing work samples to rate the candidates' abilities. E. inviting candidates with the best abilities to the organization for one or more interviews.

C. screening the applications to see which ones meet the basic requirements for the job.

A correlation coefficient of -1.0 between two sets of numbers indicates _____. A. a complete lack of any correlation between the two sets B. that when one set of numbers goes up, so does the other set C. that when one set of numbers goes up, the other set goes down D. a positive correlation between the two sets E. an indefinite relationship between the two sets

C. that when one set of numbers goes up, the other set goes down

Along with 50 other candidates, Rita applied for the position of analyst at Mechalium Inc. Because Rita's profile stood out from other candidates' profiles, she was called for an interview in which she performed well. In the context of the steps involved in the selection process for recruitment, which of the following would most likely be the next step taken by the recruiter? A. reviewing Rita's work samples B. negotiating salary and benefits with Rita C. verifying Rita's qualifications through background checks D. sending Rita a job offer letter E. getting Rita to sign the job offer

C. verifying Rita's qualifications through background checks

David Carr is the HR manager of Witherspoon Inc., a publishing company. He wants to know if a certain test of cognitive ability, used in the advertising industry, can be successfully used in his organization. This scenario suggests that he wants to know if this test is a(n) _____ method. A. substitutable B. evaluative C. practical D. generalizable E. nondirective

D. generalizable

What does a correlation of 0 mean? A. a negative correlation B. a positive correlation C. a correlation where one number goes up and the other goes down D. no correlation at all E. an error in the correlation coefficients

D. no correlation at all

Which of the following is a permissible question for job applications and interviews? A. What is the nationality of your name? B. Have you ever been arrested for a crime? C. Was your college a Catholic university? D. Do you have any disabilities? E. Can you meet the requirements of the work schedule?

E. Can you meet the requirements of the work schedule?

Which of the following statements is true of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991? A. Employers can ask pre-employment questions to investigate disabilities. B. Interviewers are prohibited from asking a candidate if he or she can meet the attendance requirements for a job. C. Interviewers are permitted to ask candidates the number of sick leaves he or she took at his or her previous job. D. Employers are permitted, in making hiring decisions, to use employment physical exams that could reveal a psychological or physical disability. E. Employers are required to make reasonable accommodation to disabled individuals.

E. Employers are required to make reasonable accommodation to disabled individuals.

Which of the following is true about medical examinations of job candidates? A. Medical examinations may not be related to job requirements. B. Medical examinations are conducted upon the receipt of a candidate's résumé. C. Medical examinations are conducted specifically for individuals with disabilities. D. Medical examinations that measure size and strength can never be used for a job. E. Medical examinations are conducted after a candidate has been given a job offer

E. Medical examinations are conducted after a candidate has been given a job offer

What is a disadvantage of using résumés as a source of information about job applicants? A. It is a relatively expensive method of gathering information. B. It does not allow applicants to highlight accomplishments. C. Review of résumés is least valid when the content of the résumés is evaluated in terms of the elements of a job description. D. A résumé is biased in favor of the employer. E. The content of the résumé is controlled by the applicant.

E. The content of the résumé is controlled by the applicant.

Which of the following is true of validity? A. Validity cannot be explained using correlation coefficients. B. Validity identifies how free a measurement is from random error. C. Validity measures the level of cultural fit. D. Validity can only be measured in one way. E. Validity ensures the fairness of employment practices during selection procedures.

E. Validity ensures the fairness of employment practices during selection procedures.

Which of the following is a permissible question to ask in job applications and interviews? A. How would you feel about working for someone younger than you? B. Are you a citizen of the United States? C. What religious holidays do you observe? D. Where were you born? E. Will you need any reasonable accommodation for this hiring process?

E. Will you need any reasonable accommodation for this hiring process?

Statistics that measure the degree to which two sets of numbers are related are known as _____. A. aligned statistics B. important integers C. reliable ratings D. natural numbers E. correlation coefficients

E. correlation coefficients

Pluto Inc. is a car manufacturing company that wants to hire a new product manager. Senior management decides to have the department heads for production, sales, and human resources interview the candidates on a variety of topics. This is an example of a(n) _____. A. behavior description interview B. in-basket interview C. situational interview D. exit interview E. panel interview

E. panel interview

Russell, an entrepreneur, wants to hire a human resource professional who can help him make decisions about who will or will not be allowed to join his organization. In advertising for this professional, what term should he use to describe the process he wants help with? A. predictive validation B. job analysis C. concurrent validation D. trend analysis E. personnel selection

E. personnel selection