Personnel Psychology

Question 1

Adverse impact

Answer 1

Potential legal issue in personnel selection

When minority group members are hired at a lower rate than majority group members

Causes include:
Differential validity
Unfairness

Calculate using the 80 percent (4/5ths rule)

Question 2

Needs analysis

Answer 2

The first step in developing a training program

4 components:

1) Organization analysis
2) Task analysis
3) Person analysis
4) demographic analysis

Question 3

3 steps in developing a training program

Answer 3

1. Needs analysis
2. Program design
3. Program evaluation

Question 4

Advantage of Personnel Comparison Systems

Answer 4

Reduce the effects of certain rater biases:

Central tendency

Leniency

Strictness

Question 5

Research on interview validity says…

Answer 5

Situational interviews > job-related interviews > psychologically-based interviews

Structured interviews have higher predictive validity than unstructured interviews

Question 6

Biodata

Answer 6

Biographical information about an applicant’s work history, education, personal interests, skills

Highly predictive of job success when empirically validated (items included because correlate highly with job performance) - 2nd only to cognitive ability for predicting job performance

Particularly useful for predicting job turnover

Equally valid for members of different racial/ethnic groups (.77 for whites and .79 for blacks)

Question 7

In-basket test

Answer 7

Example of work sample/simulation exercise

Involves seeing how a participant responds to the kinds of tasks (e.g. memos, reports, messages) they would encounter on the job

Question 8

Criterion contamination

Answer 8

When a rater’s knowledge of a person’a performance on a selection instrument (e.g. performance in the assessment center) affects how the rater evaluates the person’s performance once they are on the job

Affects the validity of assessment centers

Question 9

80 percent (4/5ths) rule

Answer 9

Adverse impact is when minority group is less than 80% selection rate of majority group

Eg. If 60% of male applicants are hired, then at least 48% of female applicants must be hired (.60 x .80 = .48). If rate is less than 48%, there is adverse impact of selection procedures.

Question 10

Interest tests

Answer 10

E.g. Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory, Kuder Occupational Survey

Have low validity for predicting occupational success, but are useful for vocational counselling or predicting job satisfaction, job persistence, job choice

Question 11

Integrity tests

Answer 11

Lower validity for predicting job performance

Useful for selecting employees with reduced probability for stealing, etc (counterproductive job behaviours)

Question 12

Bona fide occupational qualification

Answer 12

Adverse impact is permitted when there is a valid reason for hiring a substantially larger portion of a subgroup

E.g. Hire more men bc job requires heavy lifting

Question 13

Differential validity

Answer 13

When a selection procedure is a valid predictor of job performance for one group but not another

A cause of adverse impact

Question 14

Unfairness

Answer 14

When one group consistently scores lower than another group on a selection test (so less likely to be hired) but both groups perform equally well on the job

Question 15

Methods of score adjustment to compensate for bias

Answer 15

Separate cutoffs

Within group norming

Banding (treating all scores within a given band/range as equivalent)

Question 16

ADA and drug use

Answer 16

ADA specifically excludes individuals who are currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs

Protects past substance abusers as long as they are participating in or have completed a supervised rehabilitation program

Drug testing is not prohibited by ADA

Question 17

Incremental validity

Answer 17

How useful a selection test is in terms of decision-making accuracy

Incremental validity = positive hit rate - base rate

E.g. 70% - 50% = 20% (Use of the new selection test will increase the company’s decision making by 20%)

Can also use Taylor-Russell tables, which show that a measure’s incremental validity is maximized when it’s:

1) validity coefficient is large (highly predictive)
2) base rate is moderate (new predictor is likely to be helpful; if it’s high, then the current method is doing a good job)
3) selection ratio is low (many applicants to choose from)

Question 18

Utility analysis

Answer 18

How cost effective a selection procedure is

Often, utility is defined as the dollar gained in job performance when using a certain selection procedure, as opposed to a prior or alternative procedure

Question 19

Multicollinearity

Answer 19

When predictors are highly correlated

Question 20

Combining predictors for personnel selection

Answer 20

Multiple predictors are preferred because they provide more info than a single predictor

Each predictor should correlate highly with the criterion, but not with each other (multicollinearity, redundant)

3 methods:

1. Multiple regression
2. Multiple cutoff
3. Multiple hurdle

Question 21

On-the-job training

Answer 21

Trainee performs job under guidance of experienced supervisor

Job rotation = rotate through several jobs to increase their range of skills, so they can perform other jobs in the company

Advantage: economical

Disadvantages: often poorly planned, poorly implemented, slowed production rates, increased accidents, and current workers may not be the best trainees

Question 22

4 types of job training programs

Answer 22

1. On-the-job training
2. Vestibule training
3. Classroom training
4. Programmed instruction

Question 23

3 dimensions of program evaluation

Answer 23

1. Formative evaluation (e.g. trainees’ assessments, satisfaction, degree of learning) - occurs while program is in progress
2. Summative evaluations - happen after program is complete
3. Cost effectiveness

Question 24

Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Criteria for Program Evaluation

Answer 24

1. Reaction criteria
2. Learning criteria
3. Behaviour criteria
4. Results criteria

Phillip expanded this model by proposing a 5th level: Return on Investment (evaluate for each of first four levels)

Question 25

The Differential Aptitude Test (DAT)

Answer 25

One of the Multiple Aptitude Batteries

Includes measures of both job-related and general cognitive abilities

Can be used with students grades 8 - 12 or with adults to assist with career and educational counselling

Question 26

Holland’s Personality and Environment Typology

Answer 26

All behaviours, including career choice, are a function of personality and the social environment

6 personality types (RIASEC):

1. Realistic
2. Investigative
3. Artistic
4. Social
5. Enterprising
6. Conventional

Measured using the Vocational Preference Inventory, the Self-Directed Search, or the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory

Occupational environments are classified with the same 6 categories, and when they match, there is “congruence” - they will be satisfied, productive, and likely to stay in that environment

When a person scores high on one above all others, there is a high degree of differentiation, and the congruence match will be most accurate

Question 27

Super’s Career and Life Developmental Theory

Answer 27

Career development is a predictable series of stages, each stage must be mastered to progress to the next

1. Growth
2. Exploration
3. Establishment
4. Maintenance
5. Decline

People achieve job satisfaction when they are able to express themselves and develop their self-concept through work roles

Career maturity = extent a person has mastered skills related to that stage

Life space = various roles we adopt at different points during the life span

Life career rainbow = nine major roles that we adopt during the above 5 stages (child, student, worker, partner, parent, citizen, homemaker, leisurite, pensioner)

Question 28

Job commitment has the highest correlation with:

Answer 28

Moderate to strong negative correlation with absenteeism and turnover