Deck 11: Industrial, Occupational, and Forensic Assessment

Question 1

Suppose skilled interviewers independently interview the same job candidates. The inter-rater reliability of their evaluations will typically be in the

A) .30s
B) .50s
C) .70s
D) .90s

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Suppose skilled interviewers jointly interview the same job candidates using a structured interview schedule. The inter-rater reliability of their evaluations will typically be in the

A) .30s
B) .50s
C) .70s
D) .90s

Answer 2

C

Question 3

For entry-level jobs, the mean validity coefficient for ability tests is about

A) .34
B) .54
C) .74
D) .94

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Except for work samples, the most valid selection method for entry-level jobs is

A) an appropriate ability test
B) a structured interview
C) a structured questionnaire
D) none of the above

Question 5

On a study of 500 psychology graduate students, __________provided the strongest predictor of academic performance.

A) credentials alone
B) credentials and one-hour interview
C) credentials and objective test scores
D) credentials, test scores, and two-hour interview

Question 6

_________is the tendency to rate a candidate high or low on all dimensions because of a global impression.

A) Cupid effect
B) Halo bias
C) Inductive bias
D) none of the above

Question 7

Regarding validity and adverse impact upon minorities, which selection method is best?

A) self-assessments
B) reference checks
C) projective tests
D) biodata

Question 8

The persistence of the interview as a method for employee selection is attributed to the following reasons):

A) administrators believe the interview is "really" valid in spite of the pessimistic research data
B) the interview is used in many settings to sell the candidate on the job
C) the interview may not be valid but practical considerations make it the popular choice
D) all of the above

Question 9

According to Guion, research on personnel selection has emphasized

A) criterion-related validity
B) content validity
C) construct validity
D) all of the above

Question 10

The increase in validity when a new source of prediction is added to other sources is known as

A) predictive validity
B) incremental validity
C) concurrent validity
D) regression enhancement

Question 11

_________is considered the best predictor of job performance.

A) General intelligence
B) Specific cognitive factors
C) Verbal intelligence
D) Spatial intelligence

Question 12

Industrial/organizational psychology includes_____ .

A) military applications
B) personnel selection
C) evaluation of advertising
D) all of the above

Question 13

The rationale for the biodata approach is that

A) future work-related behavior can be predicted from past choices and accomplishments
B) past personality traits can predict future work performance
C) work-related relational competency can be predicted by family demographic patterns
D) none of the above

Question 14

A recent 2008) study of 98 undergraduates indicated that the quality of a handshake

A) was positively related to hiring recommendations
B) had no influence on hiring recommendations
C) was negatively related to hiring recommendations
D) was positively correlated to socioeconomic status

Question 15

When we use a narrow measure that includes only paper-and-pencil tests, about______ of the companies in the United States engage in personnel testing.

A) one-tenth
B) one-third
C) two-thirds
D) nine-tenths

Question 16

One drawback to the biodata approach is that

A) it has questionable predictive validity
B) it may squelch innovation
C) it is cumbersome to administer
D) all of the above

Question 17

When comparing the validity of biodata and cognitive ability tests as predictors of training success, a typical finding is that

A) biodata works better than cognitive ability tests
B) cognitive ability tests work better than biodata
C) biodata and cognitive ability tests work about equally well
D) neither biodata nor cognitive ability tests work very well

Question 18

The use of tests for personnel selection is complex because

A) job behavior is rarely unidimensional in nature
B) tests have less validity than is commonly believed
C) people have become more skilled at faking tests
D) all of the above

Question 19

In the prediction of sales productivity, the average validity coefficient of biodata is about

A) .2
B) .4
C) .6
D) .8

Question 20

The Wonderlic Personnel Test is a group test of

A) clerical skill
B) job honesty
C) interpersonal skills
D) general mental ability

Question 21

The main difference between a situational exercise and a work sample is that the former

A) mirrors only part of the job
B) duplicates the entire job task
C) is based upon spontaneous factors
D) none of the above

Question 22

The text points out a serious problem with overt integrity tests:

A) ethical constraints curtail their use
B) past behavior does not necessarily predict future behavior
C) apparently, they are easily faked
D) none of the above

Question 23

An overt integrity test assesses

A) attitudes toward theft
B) beliefs about extent of employee theft
C) degree of condemnation of theft
D) all of the above and job performance

Question 24

These kinds of tests have been positively correlated with returning an overpayment.

A) integrity tests
B) personality tests
C) cognitive tests
D) interest inventories

Question 25

This test proved to be one of the best predictors of pilot success during World War II.

A) Wonderlic Personnel Test
B) Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test
C) Minnesota Clerical Test
D) Strong Vocational Interest Blank

Question 26

A meta-analysis that included more than eight thousand employees found the strongest overall correlation between_______and job performance operational validity).

A) extraversion
B) agreeableness
C) openness to experience
D) conscientiousness

Question 27

The Wonderlic Personnel Test comes in

A) a single form that is updated every two years
B) numerous parallel forms
C) three versions for ages 19-24, 25-40, and 40+
D) none of the above

Question 28

Race differences on the Wonderlic Personnel Test are

A) nonexistent
B) trivial
C) significant
D) unknown

Question 29

Which personality test was cited as a strong measure for "The Big Five" OCEAN) approach to employee selection?

A) Comrey Personality Scales
B) Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire 16PF)
C) Eysenck Personality Questionnaire
D) NEO Personality Inventory-Revised

Question 30

The Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test consists of

A) "hands on" test items such as fixing a rachet
B) a multiple-choice section based upon tool knowledge
C) pictures about which the examinee must answer straightforward questions
D) all of the above

Question 31

The score on the Minnesota Clerical Test consists of

A) total number of items answered
B) total number of items answered correctly
C) total number of items answered correctly minus the number of errors

Question 32

A miniature replica of the job for which examinees have applied is called an)

A) work sample
B) situational exercise
C) ergonomic test
D) none of the above

Question 33

A serious problem with most integrity tests is the very high fail rate, typically in the and job performance_______range.

A) 10 percent to 30 percent
B) 30 percent to 60 percent
C) 50 percent to 80 percent
D) 70 percent to 90 percent

Question 34

One problem with the early application of personality tests to personnel selection was that

A) there was no established relation between test scores and job success
B) legal barriers prevented I/O psychologists from using appropriate tests
C) existing tests did not possess sufficient validity to be used for personnel selection
D) none of the above

Question 35

Reliability of the Wonderlic Personnel Test is typically around

A) .50
B) .60
C) .80
D) .90

Question 36

The Minnesota Clerical Test consists of

A) number comparison
B) name comparison
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 37

Normative data for the Wonderlic Personnel Test are based upon _________subjects.

A) 50
B) 500
C) 5,000
D) 50,000

Question 38

Which of the following has been developed into a work sample or situational exercise?

A) a typing test for office personnel
B) a mechanical assembly test for loom fixers
C) a map reading test for traffic control officers
D) all of the above

Question 39

A significant concern about the Minnesota Clerical Test is that

A) the norm groups are vaguely specified
B) the reliability is questionable, on the order of .50
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 40

Work samples are especially useful in

A) professional positions
B) helping professions
C) mechanical trades
D) none of the above

Question 41

In developing a behaviorally anchored rating scale, experts are used to

A) identify and define performance dimensions
B) generate behavior examples
C) scale the behaviors meaningfully
D) all of the above

Question 42

The in-basket test is a measure of

A) clerical skill
B) mechanical skill
C) executive skill
D) all of the above

Question 43

The process of developing a behaviorally-anchored rating scale may have the indirect benefit of

A) identifying the components of effective performance
B) causing management and labor to see each other's viewpoint
C) improving the accuracy of employee selection
D) all of the above

Question 44

This approach consists of trait labels, brief definitions of the labels, and a continuum for the rating.

A) graphic rating scale
B) behavior observation scale
C) forced-choice scale
D) critical-incidents checklist

Question 45

By far, the most common approach to performance appraisal is

A) measures of productivity
B) peer ratings
C) supervisor rating scales
D) subjective evaluation of supervisors

Question 46

When an evaluation includes factors that are not demonstrably part of the job, this is known as

A) halo effect
B) rater bias
C) criterion contamination
D) none of the above

Question 47

A leniency error, as when the supervisor wants to be liked by everyone, is an example of

A) halo effect
B) rater bias
C) criterion contamination
D) none of the above

Question 48

This method of performance evaluation has never really caught on.

A) critical-incidents checklist
B) behaviorally-anchored rating scale
C) forced-choice scale
D) graphic scale

Question 49

Although production counts are a desirable method for assessing employee effectiveness, they suffer from the following problems):

A) the rate of productivity may not be under the control of the worker
B) production counts are not applicable to most jobs
C) an emphasis upon production counts may distort the quality of the output
D) all of the above

Question 50

The tendency to rate an employee high or low on all dimensions because of a global impression is called

A) halo effect
B) rater bias
C) criterion contamination
D) none of the above

Question 51

When scored on the in-basket technique, undergraduates stressed

A) control over subordinates
B) concern for outsiders
C) verbal productivity
D) all of the above

Question 52

The purpose of assessment centers is to evaluate

A) assembly productivity
B) managerial potential
C) workplace integrity
D) relational competency

Question 53

The classic paper on the in-basket test is the 1962 monograph by

A) Frederikson
B) Samuelson
C) Landy
D) Schmidt

Question 54

The primary concern of assessment centers is

A) cost effectiveness
B) unproven predictive validity
C) poor reliability
D) all of the above

Question 55

Effective action by administrators consists of

A) preparing for action
B) amount of work
C) not needing guidance
D) all of the above

Question 56

The stipulation that medical tests may not be administered prior to an offer of employment was part of the

A) Civil Rights Act of 1991
B) Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
C) Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection of 1978
D) all of the above

Question 57

The following approaches) has/have been recommended to control for halo effect:

A) supervise the supervisors during the rating
B) practice simulations before doing the ratings
C) provide supervisors with a short lecture on halo
D) all of the above

Question 58

The problems encountered in performance evaluation are usually referred to as the________ problem.

A) normative
B) evaluative
C) predictor
D) criterion

Question 59

Performance evaluation serves the following common uses):

A) identify individual strengths and weaknesses
B) document personnel decisions
C) compare job performance of individuals
D) all of the above

Question 60

The position of the text is that, in general, absenteeism is

A) an effective and valuable index of work performance
B) a largely useless measure of work performance
C) a valuable index only for workers who are rarely absent
D) none of the above

Question 61

An example of a career assessment is:

A) Strong Interest Inventory
B) Self-Directed Search
C) Career Beliefs Inventory
D) Vocational Preference Inventory

Question 62

The development of the Strong Vocational Interest Blank was based upon the following assumptions):

A) each occupation has a desirable pattern of interests and personality characteristics among its workers
B) individuals have relatively stable interests and personality traits
C) individuals in given occupations differ from one another in traits and interests
D) all of the above

Question 63

The 1990s addition of the personality style scales on the SII includes)

A) Work Style
B) Leadership Style
C) Risk Taking
D) all of the above

Question 64

As a consequence of Watson v. Fort Worth Bank and Trust, employers

A) won the right to use interviews as a selection device
B) were told to use objective tests only in the selection process
C) were warned that subjective selection devices such as interview must be validated
D) none of the above

Question 65

Career identity:

A) is assessed primarily through observational techniques
B) depends highly on behavioral skills
C) is an essential part of one's self-concept
D) is independent of career choice

Question 66

The theory of Person-Environment Fit:

A) rarely results in a single type
B) focuses more on individual abilities than workplace situations
C) focuses more on workplace situations than individual abilities
D) is inconsistent with results from the RAISEC model

Question 67

The function of work involving self-actualization is:

A) satisfaction
B) survival and power
C) social connection
D) self-determination

Question 68

Which of the following is a Basic Interest Scale on the Strong Interest Inventory?

A) Realistic
B) Investigative
C) Artistic
D) Adventure

Question 69

Interest assessment promotes two compatible goals:

A) motivation and vocational productivity
B) life satisfaction and vocational productivity
C) life satisfaction and career stability
D) motivation and career stability

Question 70

The first involvement of the courts in employment testing was

A) Myart v. Motorola
B) Griggs v. Duke Power
C) Albemarle v. Moody
D) none of the above

Question 71

The theory of Person-Environment Correspondence PEC) differs from the theory of Person-Environment Fit PEF) because:

A) PEC is more reliant on the RAISEC model
B) PEC examines the fit between person and environment
C) PEC places greater emphasis on individual abilities and values
D) PEC has poorer psychometric properties

Question 72

The RASIEC model does not include this factor:

A) investigative
B) enterprising
C) achieving
D) social

Question 73

The O*NET refers to a:

A) career development theory
B) program run by the U.S. Department of Labor and Training
C) assessment of career identity
D) occupational safety program

Question 74

Which of the following is NOT a general occupational theme of the Strong Interest Inventory?

A) Realistic
B) Investigative
C) Artistic
D) Scientific

Question 75

The first edition of the Strong Vocational Interest Blank appeared in

A) 1907
B) 1927
C) 1947
D) 1967

Question 76

The following is not a common function of work:

A) satisfaction
B) survival and power
C) social connection
D) self-determination

Question 77

The Happenstance Learning Theory is an example of a:

A) person-environment fit
B) person-environment correspondence
C) stage theory
D) social-cognitive approach

Question 78

The following is not true regarding career identity:

A) unemployment can have a profound effect on one's identity
B) people frequently identify themselves by their career choices
C) career changes have steadily become more common in U.S. society
D) there is little flexibility in career options in U.S. society

Question 79

The first edition of the Strong Vocational Interest Blank used _______for scale construction.

A) rational item assignment
B) factor analysis
C) empirical keying
D) none of the above

Question 80

The latest version of the Strong Interest Inventory incorporates the following features):

A) men's and women's forms are merged into a single edition
B) a theoretical framework guides the interpretation of scores
C) an increase in the number of vocational/technical scales
D) all of the above