AN EMPIRICAL TEST OF A TRAIT-ORIENTED JOB ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE

A trait-oriented job analysis technique based on a checklist of 33 a priori carefully defined traits that encompass elements of the physical, mental, learned, motivational and social domains of the work world is described. The analysis identifies the relevant traits, their levels and weights, in relation to overall job performance. Results of discriminability tests were supportive of the job analysis technique and indicated that incumbents of jobs requiring a particular trait scored higher on measures (predictors) of that trait than incumbents of jobs not requiring that trait. Implications of the results for personnel selection and placement are discussed.     

EMPIRICAL TEST OF A MODEL RELATING MAGNITUDE AND CATEGORY SCALES

E isler , H. Empirical test of a model relating magnitude and category scales. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1962, 3 , 88–96.—The function K =α log( φ+ q/k) +β seems to describe the relation between category scale values K and subjective magnitudes φ. The additive constant q/k is obtained from the S ds of the magnitude estimates.
The model was empirically confirmed for the loudness and softness of white noise scaled by the methods of magnitude estimation and category rating.     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK EXPERIENCE AND JOB PERFORMANCE: A CONCEPTUAL AND META-ANALYTIC REVIEW

A gap in the conceptual development of the work experience construct was addressed by creating a framework specifying two dimensions along which work experience measures can vary. The dimensions of measurement mode (amount, time, and type) and level of specificity (task, job, organizational) formed nine separate categories of measures of work experience. The usefulness of the conceptual framework was tested by conducting a meta-analytic review of the existing literature on work experience using the dimensions in the framework as potential moderators of the experience-performance relationship. Results of the meta-analysis ( N = 25,911; K = 44) revealed an estimated population correlation of 27 between experience and performance after correcting for sampling error and criterion unreliability. In addition, the results showed that amount ( M = .43) and task-level ( M = .41) measures of work experience had the highest correlations with measures of job performance. In addition, work experience had the highest correlations with hard (e.g. work samples) as opposed to soft (e.g. ratings) measures of job performance ( M = .39 vs. M = .24). Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

EVALUATION OF TASK AND JOB SKILL LINKAGE JUDGMENTS USED TO DEVELOP TEST SPECIFICATIONS

The research on job analysis judgments, such as "time spent," has been relatively limited, particularly with reference to external criteria remote from the job analysis operation. The more complex job analysis judgment linking a job skill to specific tasks or duties has not been systematically examined. While it would appear that a simple scaling of importance of a skill for a task or duty or a retranslation judgment would suffice, the fact is that a single job skill may be a prerequisite for performance in a variety of tasks, and any one task may require multiple skills of varying levels for effective performance. With a multiple assignment of tasks to job skills, the evaluation becomes considerably more difficult. In the present study, a sequence of statistical evaluations was conducted to examine, first, the reliability of the subject matter expert (SME) panel's association of tasks and job skills and, second, the factor structure of the task by job skill relationship. The results are discussed with reference to developing selection test specifications and test budgets.     

THE RELATIONSHIPS OF AGE WITH JOB ATTITUDES: A META-ANALYSIS

Although organizational research on age has largely focused on the age–performance relationship, the relationships between age and job attitudes have received less attention. Guided by socioemotional selectivity theory, this paper provides a comprehensive meta-analysis of the relationships of chronological age with the 35 job attitudes most frequently studied as its correlates. Results of meta-analyses from more than 800 articles indicate that the relationships between chronological age and favorable attitudes (and/or to less unfavorable attitudes) toward work tasks, colleagues and supervisors, and organizations are generally significant and weak to moderate in strength. Moderator analyses also revealed that organizational tenure, race, gender, education level, and publication year of study moderate the relationships between age and job attitudes. Based on these findings, we make recommendations for future theory development and empirical research on age in organizational settings. We also discuss the implications of our findings for practice.     

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LEADER AND FOLLOWER PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL,SERVICE CLIMATE,AND JOB PERFORMANCE

Using a sample of 79 police leaders and their direct reports (264 police followers), this study investigated the relationships of leader and follower psychological capital, service climate, and job performance. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) results revealed that leader psychological capital was positively related to follower performance, with this relationship mediated by follower psychological capital. We also found that the follower psychological capital-performance relationship was moderated by service climate such that the relationship was stronger when service climate was perceived to be high versus low. Finally, exploratory HLM analyses indicated that leader and follower psychological capital interacted to positively predict rated performance. We discuss implications of these findings, limitations, and directions for future research.     

ON DAVIDSON'S REFUTATION OF CONCEPTUAL SCHEMES AND CONCEPTUAL RELATIVISM

Despite Donald Davidson's influential criticism of the very notion of conceptual schemes, the notion continues enjoying its popularity in contemporary philosophy and, accordingly, conceptual relativism is still very much alive. There is one major reason responsible for Davidson's failure which has not been widely recognized: What Davidson attacks fiercely is not the very notion , but a notion of conceptual schemes, namely, the Quinean notion of conceptual schemes and its underlying Kantian scheme-content dualism. However, such a notion simply cannot carry the weight of conceptual relativism for it does not catch the essences of conceptual relativism. Consequently, I argue that the very notion of conceptual schemes and conceptual relativism have survived Davidson's attack. Therefore, the failure of the Quinean notion of conceptual schemes and Kantian scheme-content dualism, even if Davidson can claim victory, does not mark the end of the very notion of conceptual schemes.     

A COMPARISON OF TECHNIQUES WHICH TEST FOR JOB DIFFERENCES

There has been a recent trend in research seeking the most appropriate statistical technique for determining job similarities/differences. Monte Carlo methods were used to analyze more closely the repeated measures analysis of variance and the multivariate analysis of variance in order to add further insight into the viability of these techniques for this purpose. The conventional univariate analysis of variance, the ε-adjusted univariate F test, and the ε-adjusted univariate F test were compared to three multivariate tests (Roy's largest-root criterion, Wilk's likelihood ratio, and the Pillai-Barlett trace) in terms of power and control for Type I error when (1) circularity and homogeneity were met, (2) homogeneity was met but circularity was violated, (3) homogeneity was violated but circularity was met, and (4) both homogeneity and circularity were violated. The efficacy of the techniques was shown to be contingent upon whether the assumptions were met or not. The univariate test proved to be the better technique when circularity was met. The multivariate technique proved to be the better test when homogeneity was met while circularity was violated. The results were mixed when both circularity and homogeneity were violated. Guidelines for selecting a statistical technique which tests for job differences are offered.     

JOB-RELATEDNESS OF A POSTTRAINING JOB KNOWLEDGE CRITERION USE TO ASSESS VALIDITY AND TEST FAIRNESS

Significant job-relatedness was found for a posttraining job knowledge test criterion using an application of Lawshe's content validity method. The aide test was used as a criterion to assess the predictive validity of a vocabulary test and a civil service test with samples of black ( N = 43) and white ( N = 62) psychiatric aides. Significant validities were found on both tests, but a vocabulary test proved to be the better predictor of the criterion in both samples. The obtained validities were discussed in terms of differential validity, test fairness, and sample size. This study demonstrated that a content validity method could be applied to criteria as well as selection tests. It was concluded that content validity methods may be able to help solve the problem of criterion relevance in validation research by providing quantitative evidence of the job-relatedness of criteria.     

ITEM BIAS INDICES BASED ON TOTAL TEST SCORE AND JOB PERFORMANCE ESTIMATES OF ABILITY

Researchers (e.g., Ironson, 1982; Tenopyr, 1990) have suggested that item bias investigators equate subgroups on external criteria such as job performance rather than total test scores before considering subgroup passing rates on test items. In a study comparing these two approaches to studies of item bias, we found little evidence of bias using total test score as the estimate of overall examinee ability, but nearly all items were biased in comparisons of white and African-American subgroups on Numerical, Verbal, and Mechanical Reasoning tests and in male-female comparisons on a Mechanical Reasoning test when job performance was used to select "equally able" examinees. However, the use of job performance as the ability index is analogous to performance-based approaches to test bias (Hartigan & Wigdor, 1989; Thorndike, 1971) and directly equivalent to the Darlington (1971) and Cole (1973) test bias definition, the logical inconsistencies of which have been previously described (Hunter & Schmidt, 1976; Peterson & Novick, 1976). We conclude that performance matching as a basis of forming "equal ability" groups is inappropriate.     

APPLICATIONS OF MODERATED REGRESSION IN JOB DESIGN RESEARCH

Applications of moderated regression analysis in five areas of job design research are described and fully illustrated with actual survey data. The five areas of research have received some attention in the literature over the past 10 years. Arguments for the selection of moderated regression over the more common subgroups analysis are presented. We conclude that moderated regression analysis is superior to a subgroups analysis for the research questions being asked by investigators interested in job design research.     

A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN JOB INFORMATION SOURCES, APPLICANT PERCEPTIONS OF FIT, AND WORK OUTCOMES

This longitudinal field study was designed to examine the relationships between job information sources, self-esteem, and perceptions of person-job (P-J) and person-organization (P-O) fit, as well as the relationships between perceptions of fit and work outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational identification, intentions to quit, stress symptoms, and turnover). The results indicate that the number of formal job information sources and self-esteem were positively related to perceptions of P-J fit, and formal job information sources were positively related to perceptions of P-O fit. Perceptions of P-J fit were positively related to job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational identification, and negatively related to stress symptoms and intentions to quit. Perceptions of P-O fit were negatively related to intentions to quit and turnover. In addition, perceptions of fit mediated the relationships between job information sources and self-esteem with job satisfaction, intentions to quit, and turnover. These results highlight the job applicant's perspective of fit, and demonstrate the importance of both P-J and P-O fit perceptions.     

THE IMPACT OF JOB ANALYSIS ON EMPLOYMENT TEST VALIDATION FOR MINORITY AND NONMINORITY ACCOUNTING PERSONNEL

The purposes of the present study were (a) to examine the comparative validity of a written job knowledge test constructed on the basis of a systematic job analysis with that of a commercial employment test selected in the absence of a prior job analysis for accounting positions and (b) to determine the fairness of each test for minority and nonminority job applicants. Results indicated that the job knowledge test was a valid and unbiased predictor of relevant criteria of job performance while the commercial employment test produced adverse impact and lacked validity. Implications of the results for future research studies and test validation efforts involving differential prediction are discussed.