Personnel psychology Flashcards
Purposes of job analysis
Develop/validate selection instruments Identify measures of job performance Develop new programs Identify task requirements of job Identify knowledge, skills, abilities, and characteristics of successful employees
Methods of job analysis
Interviews
Questionnaires
Direct observation
Work diaries
Subjective rating techniques for performance evaluation
Personnel Comparison System (PCS) Critical incidents Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) Behavioral-Observations Scales (BOS) Forced-Choice Checklists (FCCL)
Personnel Comparison Systems (PCS)
Rating employee by comparing to other employees
Ranked order system, Paired comparison system, Forced distribution system
Ranked order system in PCS
Ranks employees from best to worst
Paired comparison system in PCS
Each employee compared w/ every other employee on each job bx (larger # employees = more impractical)
Forced distribution system in PCS
Rater characterizes employees into predetermined distribution (advan = reduce effects of rater biases)
Critical Incidents
Subjective rating technique
Descriptions of specific job bx that are associated with v good or v bad performance (Likert-type rating)
Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)
Rated on several dimensions of job performance
Each dimens. has set of “bx anchors”
Likert scale
Diff workers/supervisors create dimensions/crit incidents
(+) = produce useful info for
employee feedback; may improve rater
accuracy)
(-) = time consuming; specific to certain job
Behavioral-Observations Scales (BOS)
Similar to BARS, but rater indicates how often employee performs each critical incident
(+) = produce useful info for
employee feedback; may improve rater
accuracy)
(-) = time consuming; specific to certain job
Forced-Choice Checklists (FCCL)
Series of statements that have been grouped so that statements in each grp are similar in terms of social desirability and ability to distinguish btw successful and unsuccessful job performance
-Helps reduce social desirability & rater bias
Types of rater biases
Halo effect
Central tendency, leniency, strictness biases
Contract effect
Halo effect
Tendency to judge all aspects of person bx on basis of single attribute or characteristic
Central tendency, leniency, & strictness bias
Central = tend to assign average ratings to all ratees Leniency = give all positive ratings Strictness = give all negative ratings
Contract effect
Tendency to give ratings on basis of comparison to other ratees
What is best way to reduce bias of raters?
TRAINING
Most effect when focus less on rating errors and more on accuracy
Frame of reference training = recognize multidimensional nature of job performance & make sure raters all have similar understanding
Most valid predictor of job performance across jobs and settings is ___________
Cognitive ability tests
-validity increases as complexity of job increases
Types of personnel selection procedures
Cognitive Ability Tests Job Knowledge Tests Work Samples Interviews Biographical Information (Biodata) Assessment Centers Personality Tests Interest Tests Integrity Tests
Job Knowledge Tests
job specific; often used when ind has previous experience/training
good predictor of performance; validity increases as job complexity and job-test similarity increase
Work samples
sample of work bx in standardized, job-like conditions
good predic. of performance
less likely than other methods to unfairly discriminate
realistic job preview
Interviews
tend to be only moderately accurate in predict job performance
structured interviews have higher predictive validity
Biographical Information (Biodata)
ask for info about applicant’s work hx, ed, interests, and skills
- highly predictive of job success when empirically validated
- useful for predicting turnover
- disadvan - specific to job; lacks face validity
Assessment Centers
use for selection, promotion, and training of administrative and managerial level employees
- groups, multiple methods of assess., in-basket test, eval by team
- disadvan = expensive & criterion contamination
Personality tests
Big 5; measure personality dimensions
better predictor of contextual performance
Interest tests
Low validity for predicting success; useful for counseling and for predicting satisfaction, persistence, and choice
Integrity Tests
validity lower in terms of predicting performance;
used to select employees w reduced prob of counterproductive job bx
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) - Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures
Provide standards for tests and procedures used as basis for employment decisions
Adverse impact
produces substantially diff rate of selection for diff grps that are defined on basis of gender/race/age
80% rule = adverse impact occurs when selection rate for minority grp is less than 80% of selection rate of majority grp
Differential validity
Selection procedure is valid predictor of performance for 1 grp and is either less valid or not valid for another grp
Unfairness
occurs when 1 grp consistently scores lower than another grp on selection test, but both grps perform equally well on job
How to compensate when women and minorities score lower on a selection measure
- separate cutoffs
- Within grp norming
- Banding - treat scores within a given range as equivalent
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
Prohibits employers from discriminating against disability
Excludes those currently engaging in illegal drug use
Incremental Validity
Usefulness of selection test in terms of decision-making capacity
Inc validity = Positive hit rate - Base rate
Maximized when validity coeff large, base rate is moderate, and selection ratio is low
Utility Analysis
Assess cost-effectiveness of selection procedure (i.e., $ gain in job performance when using selection procedure)
Combining Predictors
Multiple predictors provide more info about applicant than one
- Multiple regression - score estimated on basis of 2 or more predictors
- Multiple cutoff - must score above minimum on each predictor to be hired
- Multiple hurdle - must meet minimum level on predictor to move to next predictor
Needs Analysis (includes 4 components)
Determine if/what kind of training is necessary
- Organization analysis - is training what org needs to solve problem?
- Task analysis - determining knowledge, skills, and abilities are required to perform job
- Person analysis - do employees have deficits in areas identified by task analysis
- Demographic analysis - determine training needs of employees from diff groups
Three basic steps in training program development
- Needs analysis
- Program design
- Program evaluation
Program design
Selection of training program format is based on consideration of cost factors, material to be taught, and characteristics of trainees
On-the-job training, Vestibule training, Classroom training, and Programmed Instruction
On-the-job training
Trainee performs under guidance of experienced employee
Advant = economic, no need to make separate training facility Disadvant = carelessly planned and can be poorly implemented
Vestibule training
Combined advantage of off-the-job and on-the-job (train in physical replication or simulation)
Useful when consequences of errors are too serious for on-job training
Classroom training
Simulated work environment is set up in separate training facility
More personalized attention; dont have to worry about making costly errors
Programmed instruction
Info that has been broken down into logical, organized sequences
Like a manual; allows trainees to progress at own pace and useful for teaching content knowledge
Program Evaluation (3 dimensions)
- Formative evaluation - assess variables internal to program, identify necessary changes that can be made while program in progress
- Summative evaluation - assess effectiveness of program after complete
- Training program is evaluated for cost-effectiveness
Kirkpatrick’s framework of 4 levels of criteria
Part of program eval - used to assess effectiveness of training program
Lev 1 - rxn criteria, ps response to training
Lev 2 - learning criteria, what has been learned?
Lev 3 - bx critiera, impact on ind bx or job performance
Lev 4 - results criteria, impact on broader org goals
*Phillips added Lev 5 - calculate return on investment
Tests used in career counseling
Aptitude tests
Achievement tests
Interest tests
Roe’s Fields and Levels Theory
Links children experiences w parents to their later occupational choice and level they acheive
3 parenting orientations: Overprotective, Avoidant, and Acceptant
Parenting style affects needs and personality which influence occupational outcomes
Miller-Tiedman and Tiedman’s Decision Making Model
In order for ind to enhance career development, must be aware of 2 kinds of reality:
Personal reality - thought, act, direction, bx that ind feels right for self
Common reality - what “they” say you should do
Gottfredson’s Theory of Circumscription and Compromise
Gender and prestige influence/limit career choice
3 y/o - mid adolescence - expression of occupational aspirations emerges as process of elimination or is outcome of competing process of circumscription (progressive elimination of least preferred options) and compromise (expansion of preferences)
Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory of Career Decision Making (SLTCDM)
Career transitions result from learned experiences from planned and unplanned encounters with people and environment
Results in ind forming worldviews and beliefs about self that affect occ aspirations
