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