Multiple Choice - Organisational Testing and Assessment

Question 1

1 The first great impetus to psychological testing in industry came from
A the development of the Army Alpha and Army Beta during the First World War
B the publication of Hugo Munsterberg’s general psychological text for industry
C the establishment of the Institute of Industrial Psychology by C S Myers in
London in 1918
D the formation of the College of Organisational Psychologists of the Australian
Psychological Society in 1993

Answer 1

A the development of the Army Alpha and Army Beta during the First World War

Question 2

2 Performance appraisal refers to
A appraising a person’s performance on a psychological test
B scoring a person’s performance on a psychological test
C the assessment of worker’s performance on the job
D a particular approach to management which emphasises psychological assessment

Answer 2

C the assessment of worker’s performance on the job

Question 3

3 Quantitative criteria are usually deficient in terms of
A quality
B validity
C reliability
D relevance

Answer 3

A quality

Question 4

4 BARS stands for
A Biodata Administered with Reliability and Significance
B Behavioural Assessment of Relevant Standards
C Behavioural Assessment for Recruiting and Selection
D Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scale

Answer 4

D Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scale

Question 5

5 BOS stands for
A Behaviourally Ordered Selection
B Behavioural Observation Scale
C Biographic Orientation Score
D Behavioural Orientation Scale

Answer 5

B Behavioural Observation Scale

Question 6

6 The first step in developing BARS and BOS is
A the development of a frequency-of-observation scale
B content analysis of job behaviours
C location of anchors along the entire length of the scale
D critical incident job analysis

Answer 6

D critical incident job analysis

Question 7

7 All raters involved in performance appraisal need
A several years of managerial experience
B several years of observation experience
C training
D BARS

Answer 7

C training

Question 8

8 Desirable behaviours frequently observed and undesirable behaviours infrequently
observed form the theoretical basis of
A BOS
B BARS
C graphic rating scales
D performance appraisal

Answer 8

A BOS

Question 9

9 Which of the following is not a performance appraisal method?
A rank ordering
B job preview
C paired comparisons
D supervisor ratings

Answer 9

B job preview

Question 10

10 Technology is to job performance as drugs are to
A medicine
B sport
C pharmacies
D headaches

Answer 10

B sport

Question 11

11 The two main types of job performance are
A input of the worker and input of the technology
B working and doing
C supervisor observations and peer observations
D task performance and contextual performance

Answer 11

D task performance and contextual performance

Question 12

12 Contextual performance is mainly composed of
A organisational citizenship behaviours
B interpersonal skills
C labour market conditions
D office layout and soft furnishings

Answer 12

A organisational citizenship behaviours

Question 13

13 In personnel selection, the process of appointing everyone who applies for a position
and then retaining only those whose performance is satisfactory after some period of
time is referred to as
A job sampling
B selection by fiat
C selection on the criterion
D post-appointment selection

Answer 13

C selection on the criterion

Question 14

14 The main problem with selecting on the criterion is that
A it is a form of job try-out
B it has low validity
C it is only applicable to a few jobs
D it is extremely expensive

Answer 14

D it is extremely expensive

Question 15

15 A false positive in personnel selection is
38
A the rejection of an applicant who could have been successful
B the appointment of someone whose job performance turns out to be substandard
C the incorrect scoring of a psychological test leading to someone being appointed
who shouldn’t have been
D the use of a test with negative validity

Answer 15

B the appointment of someone whose job performance turns out to be substandard

Question 16

16 A false negative in personnel selection is
A the rejection of an applicant who could have been successful
B the appointment of someone whose job performance turns out to be substandard
C the misidentification of a potential problem
D the use of a test with negative validity

Answer 16

A the rejection of an applicant who could have been successful

Question 17

17 Selection errors can be eliminated by
A regularly reviewing the selection process
B selecting on the criterion
C using a predictor with a validity of 1.0
D implementing a probationary period

Answer 17

C using a predictor with a validity of 1.0

Question 18

18 In Carroll’s Three Stratum Theory
A fluid and crystallised intelligence form the third stratum
B general intelligence sits at the top of a hierarchy of cognitive abilities
C specific job-related behaviours form the first stratum of the hierarchy
D abilities flow through each level until they reach the third stratum

Answer 18

B general intelligence sits at the top of a hierarchy of cognitive abilities

Question 19

19 Meta-analysis
A is another name for second-order factor analysis
B has determined the validity of personnel selection to be about 0.40
C was the method used by Carroll in formulating his Three Stratum Theory
D is the study of other research studies

Answer 19

D is the study of other research studies

Question 20

20 Meta-analysis
A should be used with a criterion of 0.05
B can be thought of as a quantitative literature review
C can be used to test the difference between two group means
D should be used repeatedly until there is only one study left

Answer 20

B can be thought of as a quantitative literature review

Question 21

21 The raw data used in meta-analysis are
A group means
B test scores
C effect sizes
D performance appraisal ratings

Answer 21

C effect sizes

Question 22

22 Personnel selection is basically the study of
A individual differences
B human cognitive abilities
C general mental ability
D personality

Answer 22

A individual differences

Question 23

23 Work sample tests
A are specifically designed hands-on simulations of the main tasks to be performed
in a particular job
B have moderate predictive validities
C require the job applicant to work through a large sample of tests
D are critically dependent on obtaining a large sample size

Answer 23

A are specifically designed hands-on simulations of the main tasks to be performed in a particular job

Question 24

24 The most valid forms of interview are
A situational interviews
B panel interviews
C behavioural interviews
D structured interviews

Answer 24

D structured interviews

Question 25

25 Interviews become more valid when
A they are followed up with reference checks
B they look like standardised tests
C the interviewee is put under time pressure
D the interviewers take notes

Answer 25

B they look like standardised tests

Question 26

26 Peer ratings are
A assessments made by someone in very high office
B obtained by secretly observing someone over a prolonged period
C assessments made by one’s co-workers and colleagues
D used mainly with external applicants

Answer 26

C assessments made by one’s co-workers and colleagues

Question 27

27 Integrity tests are influenced by someone’s
A dependability and conscientiousness
B general mental ability
C social and interpersonal skills
D previous experience

Answer 27

A dependability and conscientiousness

Question 28

28 An assessment centre is
A a place where assessments are conducted
B comprised of many different activities
C a place where assessment information is collated
D an index of central tendency for a large number of assessments

Answer 28

B comprised of many different activities

Question 29

29 Biodata
A are physiological indicators such as saliva samples
B are assessments by one’s co-workers and colleagues
C are information about one’s past experience and life history
D are the data that go into a bioassay

Answer 29

A are physiological indicators such as saliva samples

Question 30

30 Personality factors are
A not relevant to either task or contextual performance
B more relevant to task performance than to contextual performance
C relevant to task and contextual performance to an equal degree
D more relevant to contextual performance than to task performance

Answer 30

D more relevant to contextual performance than to task performance