Selection Flashcards
The process through which organizations make decisions about who will or will not be allowed to join the organization
Personnel selection
Selection begins with
The candidates identified through recruitment
Selection ends with
The selected individuals placed in the jobs with the organization
Some feature of a person you are hiring
Predictor
Some organizationally relevant outcome
Criterion
Some feature you want to assess
Construct
The actual score you observe
Measure
These are those things used to make predictions about job applicants
Selection methods or devices
The goal of selection is to
Legitimately discriminate among applicants
The goal of this is to legitimately discriminate among applicants
Selection
Different selection methods may be more/less appropriate to use depending on
The specific job for which you are selecting
5 criteria for evaluating any selection method
Reliability Validity Generalizability Utility Legality
The extent to which a measurement is free from random error
Reliability
The more random error associated with a measure,
The less reliable it will be
The less reliable a measure is,
The less precise we can be in interpreting the scores it provides
What measures reliability
Upper-limit of correlation coefficient (standardized measure of association; r) is the product of each
In the selection context, this refers to the extent to which performance on the selection device/test is associated with performance on the job
Validity
_____ is necessary for validity but not sufficient
Reliability
Selection device does not measure all important aspects
Deficient
Selection device measures some irrelevant aspects
Contaminated
Three ways of measuring validity (accepted by the government’s Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures
Criterion-related
Content-related
Construct-related
This involves empirically assessing the relationship between scores on a selection device and scores on a “criterion”
Criterion related validity
The correlation between the two sets of scores assessed in criterion-related validation are assessed and referred to as
A validity coefficient
This was invented by Karl Pearson and Sir Francis Galton, who conducted research on genetics
Correlation (validity) coefficient
Correlation (validity) coefficient ranges from
-1 to 1
The strength of the relationship
Effect size (absolute value)
Strong correlation r
.5
Moderate correlation r
.3
weak correlation r
.1
Whether the relationship is positive or negative
Direction
Three relationships with strong correlation (r=.5)
Intelligence-job performance relationship
Knowledge-job performance relationship
Structure interview score-job performance relationship
Three relationships with moderate correlation (r=.3)
Conscientious-job performance relationship
School grades-job performance relationship
Integrity tests-job performance relationship
This used the test scores of all applicants and looks for a relationship between the scores and future performance of the applicants who were hired
Predictive validation
Drawback of predictive validation
Takes a long time, cannot collect DV for a while, may not want to wait to use a “great” test
This consists of administering a test to people who currently hold a job, and then comparing their scores to existing measures of job performance
Concurrent validation
Drawbacks of concurrent validation
May not be representative of applicants (may learn things on the job, may be less motivated to perform well on the test) Restricted range (may predict better with more variance)
This involves using expert opinions/judgements that the items, questions, or task used in a selection test are representative of the kinds of situations, problems, or tasks that occur on the job
Content-related validity
When developing content validity measures (4)
Look at the job analysis you have already done
Compare your current and proposed methods of assessment to the KSAO or job competency matrix
Try to develop new measures of assessment that are especially relevant for each of the job components
Reject all measures that are not demonstratively related to documented KSAOs or competencies
Consistency between a high score on a test and high level of a construct (I.e. Intelligence or leadership ability) as well as between mastery of this construct and successful performance of the job
Construct-related validity
Criterion-related validity connects what?
Measures
Predictor measure and criterion measure
Content related validity connects what
Predict measure and criterion construct
Construct related validity connects what
Predictions, criterions
(Predictor construct and predict measure)
(Criterion construct and criterion measure)
These apply not only to the conditions in which the method was originally developed (a specific job, organization, industry, etc.) but also across those settings
Generalizable selection methods
These often measure stable traits (e.g. GMA and personality) or generic skill sets (e.g. Interviews and situational judgement tests
Generalizable selection methods
This takes all of the correlations found in studies of a particular relationship and calculates a weighted average (such that correlations from studies with large samples are weighted more)
Meta-analysis
This is a quantitive, rather than qualitative review of studies
Meta-analysis
_____ of a selection device is the degree to which its use improves the quality of the individuals selects
Utility
Procedures for this offer organizational decision-makers useful information regarding the relative values of different selection tools
Utility analysis
What’s the best way to show job-relatedness
Through criterion-related validation
This is when elements of the selection system look valid
Face validity
High ______ results in less negative reactions and increased motivation to perform on the test/exercise
Face validity
These are hands-on simulations of part of all of the job that must be performed by applicants
Work sample tests
Work samples consist of (3)
Actual physical mock up of job tasks
In basket exercises for managerial tasks
Examples of work similar work done for another organization
Work sample content validity and criterion-related validity?
Highest level of content validity possible
High criterion-related validity (.54)
2 negatives of a work sample
Work samples can only be used with applicants who already know the job or have been trained for the occupation or job
Work samples are costly to develop and run, with costs generally increasing as job-complexity increases
General information processing capacity that facilitates reasoning, problem solving, decision making, and other higher order thinking skills
General Mental Ability (g, IQ, Intelligence)
Not the amount of information people know, but rather their ability to recognize, acquire, organize, update, select, and apply it effectively
GMA, g, IQ, Intelligence
This is the major key to GMA and the major distinction among jobs
Complexity
GMA and cognitive tests validity?
High-complexity jobs (.58) Medium-complexity jobs (.53) Low-complexity jobs (.23) Counter-productive work behaviors (-.33) GOA (.41) Income (.2)
This posits that individuals, over the course of their labor market experiences, will sort themselves into jobs that are compatible with their interests, values, and abilities
The gravitational hypothesis
3 Negatives of using GMA in selection
Has been shown to have severe group differences and lead to adverse impact
Managers may use score banding method in HR selection process
Standard Error of the Differences (SED) bands are created such that differences in the same band may be by chance (logically flawed)
Solution for negatives of using GMA
Non-cognitive measures should also be used in the selection process
The five-factor model (FFM) of personality consists of
Conscientiousness Emotional Stability Extraversion Agreeableness Openness
Taken together, this provides a comprehensive yet parsimonious framework to examine the relationship between specific personality traits and job outcomes
The Five-Factor Model
Described as being dependable, careful, thorough, responsible, and organized
Achievement-oriented, hardworking, and persevering
Predicts job performance (.28) and leadership (.28)
Sample items include:
I am always prepared
I pay attention to details
I make plans and stick to them
Conscientiousness
Described as being relaxed, unenvious, tranquil, secure, and content
Often referred to as the opposite pole of neuroticism
Predicts job performance (.16) and job satisfaction (.29)
Sample items include:
I seldom feel blue
I feel comfortable with myself
I am not easily bothered by things
Emotional stability (neuroticism)
Described as being sociable, gregarious, assertive, active, and dominate
Predicts sales performance (.28) and leadership (.31)
Sample items include:
I feel comfortable around people
I make friends easily
I am the life of the party
Extraversion
Described as being curious, flexible, trusting, cooperative, and forgiving
These individuals prefer tasks calling for helping but dislike tasks calling for conflict (negotiation)
Predicts workplace defiance (-.44) and teamwork (.34)
Sample items include:
I make people feel at ease
I trust what people say
I treat all people equally
Agreeableness
Described as being imaginative, cultured, curious, original, and broad-minded
Prefer self-direction and flexibility of idea organization
Predicts leadership (.24) and workplace accidents (.5)
Sample items include:
I have a vivid imagination
I enjoy hearing new ideas
I enjoy thinking about things
Openness
Negative of a personality assessment
Self-reported personality, and subsequent response distortion
Structured interviews consist of(4)
Evaluations standardization
Question consistency
Question sophistication
Rapport building
The use of a formal rating system applied to each candidate
Evaluations standardization
The consistent wording and ordering of questions asked by the interviewer
Question consistency
The types of questions (behavioral or situational) given
Question sophistication
The questions asked at the beginning of the structured interview to get to know each candidate
Rapport building
5 things interviews are measuring
Mental capability Declarative job knowledge and skills Personality traits (FFM) Applied social skills Fit with the values of the organization
4 negatives of interviews
Self-presentation tactics
Evidence of applicant misinformation and over-preparing
Interviewers were very confident they could identify the best candidates
Pre-interview impressions and confirmation bias
These are high-fidelity simulations where assesses) current or future employees) are rated on a number of job-based exercises with the intent of predicting actual behavior on a job
Assessment Centers (ACs)
In these, participants work through a series of behavioral exercises (e.g. Job simulations, in-baskets, and role plays)
Assessment centers
Predictive validity of assessment centers
Job performance (.36) managerial potential (.53) training (.35) career advancement (.36)
Negatives of assessment centers
Can only be used for certain jobs, typically managerial jobs
Considerations must be given to:
High cost
Time to create proper AC
time to conduct assessment
Pre-selected individuals must ‘go-away’ to participate
These are designed to directly assess attitudes regarding dishonest behaviors Job performance (.14) CWB (.38)
Overt integrity tests (clear purpose tests)
These tests specifically ask about past illegal and dishonest activities
Overt integrity tests (clear purpose tests)
These use composite measures of personality dimensions, such as reliability, conscientiousness, and trustworthiness Job performance (.18) CWB (.27)
Personality based measures (disguised purpose tests)
These present applicants with a work related situation and multiple possible responses to the situation
Applicants are then forced to evaluate and pick from the alternative courses of action
Situational Judgement Tests (SJT)
Items on STJS with behavioral tendency instructions(what would you do)have higher correlations with
Personality constructs and are reflective of typical performance
Items with knowledge instructions (what should one do?) have higher correlations with
cognitive ability and are reflective of maximal performance
Why are grades used in selection
They reflect intelligence, motivation, and other abilities applicable to the job
This contains questions about past life experiences
Biographical data measures (or Biodata)
Hire sequentially based on the first applicants who score above the cut score for the job
Minimum qualification
the minimum level of performance that is acceptable for an applicant to be considered minimally qualified
cut scores
Give job offers starting from the most qualified and progressing to the lowest score
Top-down hiring
Arriving at a selection decision in which a very high score on one type of assessment can make up for a low score on another
Compensatory model
Process of arriving at a selection decision by eliminating some candidates at each stage of the selection process
Multiple-Hurdle System
Multiple Hurdle Systems allow organizations to balance the trade-off between
cheap or generic tests missing important characteristics and extensive tests/assessments being costly and time consuming
