FURTHER STUDIES OF SITUATIONAL TESTS

In the present paper, results are reported for two different situational judgment tests (SJT) used in validation studies with almost 4,000 employees in 7 different organizations. Across the 2 studies, it was shown that situational test scores were significantly related to performance (weighted average r = .19), cognitive ability (weighted average r = .45), and experience (weighted average r = .20). In one study, there was a slight tendency for experience and cognitive ability to interact in the prediction of situational judgment, such that cognitive ability became less predictive as experience increased. Situational judgment fully mediated the effects of cognitive ability in one study, but not in the other. Finally, SJT race effect sizes were consistent with past research and, while not trivial, smaller than those typically observed for cognitive ability tests. The studies yielded very similar results despite the use of different keying methods (empirical vs. subject matter expert opinion). The preponderance of the evidence indicates that situational judgment measures mediate avariety of job relevant skills. Limitations to these studies and directions for future research are reviewed.     

A SITUATIONAL JUDGMENT TEST OF PERSONAL INITIATIVE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PERFORMANCE

Although situational judgment tests have been found to be valid predictors of performance, they have rarely been used to measure particular constructs. In this study, we apply the situational judgment test method to the measurement of personal initiative, a construct defined as situated action. We used respondents' situated preferences in mental simulations of work scenarios as formative indicators of their overall level of personal initiative at work. Results from a validation study showed that the situational judgment test of personal initiative (SJT-PI) had adequate validity and complemented a Likert-type self-report measure of personal initiative in predicting behavioral criteria. Situated preferences for personal initiative were hypothesized to be proximal predictors of actual behavior and were accordingly found to mediate the relationship between generalized self-efficacy, felt responsibility, and actual behavior. Furthermore, situated preferences for personal initiative could be differentiated empirically from organizational citizenship behavior. We conclude that situational judgment tests are a promising method for measuring personal initiative and may be a general means of improving the validity of measurement in organizations.     

RETEST EFFECTS IN OPERATIONAL SELECTION SETTINGS: DEVELOPMENT AND TEST OF A FRAMEWORK

This study proposes a framework for examining the effects of retaking tests in operational selection settings. A central feature of this framework is the distinction between within-person and between-person retest effects. This framework is used to develop hypotheses about retest effects for exemplars of 3 types of tests (knowledge tests, cognitive ability tests, and situational judgment tests) and to test these hypotheses in a high stakes selection setting (admission to medical studies in Belgium). Analyses of within-person retest effects showed that mean scores of repeat test takers were one-third of a standard deviation higher for the knowledge test and situational judgment test and one-half of a standard deviation higher for the cognitive ability test. The validity coefficients for the knowledge test differed significantly depending on whether examinees' test scores on the first versus second administration were used, with the latter being more valid. Analyses of between-person retest effects on the prediction of academic performance showed that the same test score led to higher levels of performance for those passing on the first attempt than for those passing on the second attempt. The implications of these results are discussed in light of extant retesting practice.     

SITUATIONAL JUDGMENT TESTS: CONSTRUCTS ASSESSED AND A META-ANALYSIS OF THEIR CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITIES

Situational judgment tests (SJTs) are a measurement method that may be designed to assess a variety of constructs. Nevertheless, many studies fail to report the constructs measured by the situational judgment tests in the extant literature. Consequently, a construct-level focus in the situational judgment test literature is lacking, and researchers and practitioners know little about the specific constructs typically measured. Our objective was to extend the efforts of previous researchers (e.g., McDaniel, Hartman, Whetzel, & Grubb, 2007 ; McDaniel & Ngyuen, 2001 ; Schmitt & Chan, 2006 ) by highlighting the need for a construct focus in situational judgment test research. We identified and classified the construct domains assessed by situational judgment tests in the literature into a content-based typology. We then conducted a meta-analysis to determine the criterion-related validity of each construct domain and to test for moderators. We found that situational judgment tests most often assess leadership and interpersonal skills and those situational judgment tests measuring teamwork skills and leadership have relatively high validities for overall job performance. Although based on a small number of studies, we found evidence that (a) matching the predictor constructs with criterion facets improved criterion-related validity; and (b) video-based situational judgment tests tended to have stronger criterion-related validity than pencil-and-paper situational judgment tests, holding constructs constant. Implications for practice and research are discussed.     

Situational Judgment and Job Performance

Data from 160 civil service employees demonstrate the validity of a situational judgment test in predicting overall job performance as well as three performance dimensions: task performance (core technical proficiency), motivational contextual performance (job dedication), and interpersonal contextual performance (interpersonal facilitation). Situational judgment also provided incremental validity over the prediction provided jointly by cognitive ability, the Big Five personality traits, and job experience. These findings extended the work of Clevenger, Pereira, Wiechmann, Schmitt, and Harvey (2001) on the incremental validity of situational judgment tests as well as the meta-analytic results reported by McDaniel, Morgeson, Finnegan, Campion, and Braverman (2001). Implications are discussed in terms of research on the prediction and understanding of job performance.     

The Role of Cognitive Ability in Self‐Efficacy and Self‐Assessed Test Performance1

Research has shown that test takers are often unable to assess their own test performance accurately. However, the role of cognitive ability in assessing one's test performance has not been explored. We examined whether high cognitive ability participants were better than low cognitive ability participants in assessing their performance on a video‐based situational judgment test (SJT) of customer‐service skills. Results indicated a strong relationship between actual and perceived SJT performance for high cognitive ability participants, but no relationship for those low in cognitive ability. The discussion focuses on implications for metacognitive theory, test perceptions, and providing feedback to applicants.     

The validity of interpersonal skills assessment via situational judgment tests for predicting academic success and job performance

This study provides conceptual and empirical arguments why an assessment of applicants' procedural knowledge about interpersonal behavior via a video-based situational judgment test might be valid for academic and postacademic success criteria. Four cohorts of medical students (N = 723) were followed from admission to employment. Procedural knowledge about interpersonal behavior at the time of admission was valid for both internship performance (7 years later) and job performance (9 years later) and showed incremental validity over cognitive factors. Mediation analyses supported the conceptual link between procedural knowledge about interpersonal behavior, translating that knowledge into actual interpersonal behavior in internships, and showing that behavior on the job. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

Video-based versus written situational judgment tests: a comparison in terms of predictive validity

In this study, the authors examined whether video-based situational judgment tests (SJTs) have higher predictive validity than written SJTs (keeping verbal content constant). The samples consisted of 1,159 students who completed a video-based version of an SJT and 1,750 students who completed the same SJT in a written format. The study was conducted in a high stakes testing context. The video-based version of an interpersonally oriented SJT had a lower correlation with cognitive ability than did the written version. It also had higher predictive and incremental validity for predicting interpersonally oriented criteria than did the written version. In this high stakes context, applicants also reacted relatively favorably to the SJTs, although there was no significant difference in face validity between the formats. These findings suggest that SJT format changes be made with caution and that validation evidence is needed when changes are proposed.     

Use of situational judgment tests to predict job performance: a clarification of the literature

Although situational judgment tests have a long history in the psychological assessment literature and continue to be frequently used in employment contexts, there has been virtually no summarization of this literature. The purpose of this article is to review the history of such tests and present the results of a meta-analysis on criterion-related and construct validity. On the basis of 102 coefficients and 10,640 people, situational judgment tests showed useful levels of validity (rho = .34) that were generalizable. A review of 79 correlations between situational judgment tests and general cognitive ability involving 16,984 people indicated that situational judgment tests typically evidence relationships with cognitive ability (rho = .46). On the basis of the literature review and meta-analytic findings, implications for the continued use of situational judgment tests are discussed, particularly in terms of recent investigations into tacit knowledge.     

Development and validation of a HEXACO situational judgment test

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a construct-based situational judgment test of the HEXACO personality dimensions. In four studies, among applicants, employees, and Amazon Mechanical Turk participants (Ns = 72–305), we showed that it is possible to assess the six personality dimensions with a situational judgment test and that the criterion-related validity of the situational judgment test is comparable to the criterion-related validity of traditional self-reports but lower than the criterion-related validity of other-reports of personality. Test–retest coefficients (with a time interval of 2 weeks) varied between .55 and .74. Considering personality is the most commonly assessed construct in employee selection contexts (Ryan et al., 2015), this situational judgment test may provide human resources professionals with an alternative assessment tool.     

Incremental Validity of Situational Judgment Tests for Task and Contextual Job Performance

This paper has three goals. First, it responds to calls for additional research on subgroup differences in situational judgment tests. Second, it expands the cumulative knowledge on the incremental validity of situational judgment tests beyond cognitive ability and personality. Third, it examines the validity and incremental validity of various predictors for both task and contextual performance.     

A field study of demographic characteristics and job attribute preferences of new part-time employees

This paper reports on a study of the demographic characteristics and job attribute preferences of 336 newly hired part-time employees in retail jobs. The results of the research challenge many of the traditional assumptions about the job preferences of part-time workers.     

Investigating Retesting Effects in a Personnel Selection Context

Repeat applicants to a fire‐fighter position undertook the same cognitive ability and situational judgment tests on multiple occasions and the resultant practice effects were investigated. Practice effects of approximately two fifths of a standard deviation were observed between Times 1 and 2 on timed tests of Abstract Reasoning and Mechanical Comprehension. Smaller practice effects were observed, however, on a timed test of numerical comprehension ability and the untimed Teamwork Knowledge Skills and Abilities situational judgment test. For all four tests, the additional practice effect observed at Time 3 were smaller and nonsignificant; a result supplemented by latent growth curve analyses.     

情景判断测验的开发程序、构思效度及研究趋势

章详细介绍情景判断测验开发的一般程序,对情景判断测验的多种形式和记分方法进行了总结和比较。同时,从情景判断测验的结果与认知能力、个性和工作经验等关系的角度出发,分析了情景判断测验的构思效度,认为情景判断测验测量的是多维构思。文章最后认为,需要从与其他构思的关系、测评指定构思、影响效度的因素以及跨文化比较等四个方面对情景判断测验开展进一步研究。     

predicting insurance agent turnover using a video-based situational judgment test

High turnover of newly contracted insurance agents is a wide-spread problem faced by many insurance companies. The objective of the present study was to examine the usefulness of a video-based selection test in the prediction of turnover for insurance agents. Newly contracted insurance agents (N=677) responded to items presented on a video-based situational judgment test. Each item presented a videotaped situation showing an agent interacting with client. Following the situation, the agents responded to a multiple-choice question indicating how they would handle the situation. Turnover information was gathered on the agents one year after contract. Using an empirical scoring method, data analyses indicated a significant relationship between test scores and the turnover criterion.This research was completed while the author was at LIMRA, International, Farmington, CT.     

The operational validity of a video-based situational judgment test for medical college admissions: illustrating the importance of matching predictor and criterion construct domains

This study is part of a trend of examining noncognitive predictors, for example, a situational judgment test (SJT), as supplements to cognitive predictors for making college admission decisions. The authors examined criterion data over multiple academic years and universities. The criterion domain was broadly conceptualized, including both cognitive and interpersonal domains. The sample consisted of 7,197 candidates of the Medical and Dental Studies Admission Exam in Belgium. Results confirmed the importance of cognitive predictors. A video-based SJT was differentially valid for predicting overall grade point average for different curricula. The SJT showed incremental validity over cognitively oriented measures for curricula that included interpersonal courses, but not for other curricula. The SJT became more valid through the years. This demonstrates the importance of carefully specifying predictor- criterion linkages and of differentiating both predictor and criterion constructs.     

Performance on Video-Based Situational Judgment Test Items: Simulated Interracial Interactions

Individuals are known to categorize others into social groups based on cues like race and gender and to experience relative discomfort when interacting with “outgroup” members. Two experimental studies were used to examine whether actor demographic cues in situational judgment assessment items completed by test takers in a simulated employee selection context may lead to differences in their performance and reactions to the hiring organization. In both studies, test takers assumed the perspective of actors shown in video-based scenarios and indicated how they would respond to interaction partners (IPs) to whom they were racially similar or dissimilar. In Study 1, a given test taker responded to IPs of a constant gender; in Study 2, IPs’ gender varied across scenarios within each condition. In Study 1, Black test takers spent more time and scored better on two of the four scenarios when responding to racially similar IPs. These effects were not found in Study 2, but demographic cues showed new interactive effects on performance and reactions. We discuss the implications of different findings across the two studies.

     

Development and Validation of a Situational Judgment Test of Employee Integrity

Based on Becker's theory (1998) and pilot work (2000) , I developed a situational judgment test of employee integrity. In this study, I examine whether scores on this test predict integrity‐relevant outcomes. The analysis of data from fast service employees, engineers, and production workers revealed that employees' integrity scores were correlated with managerial ratings of career potential, leadership activities, and job performance. Integrity was not related to the quality of interpersonal relationships.     

When customers exhibit verbal aggression, employees pay cognitive costs

In 4 experimental studies, we show that customer verbal aggression impaired the cognitive performance of the targets of this aggression. In Study 1, customers' verbal aggression reduced recall of customers' requests. Study 2 extended these findings by showing that customer verbal aggression impaired recognition memory and working memory among employees of a cellular communication provider. In Study 3, the ability to take another's perspective attenuated the negative effects of customer verbal aggression on participants' cognitive performance. Study 4 linked customer verbal aggression to quality of task performance, showing a particularly negative influence of aggressive requests delivered by high-status customers. Together, these studies suggest that the effects of even minor aggression from customers can strongly affect the immediate cognitive performance of customer service employees and reduce their task performance. The implications for research on aggression and for the practice of customer service are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

The impact of help seeking on individual task performance: the moderating effect of help seekers' logics of action

Drawing from achievement-goal theory and the social psychological literature on help seeking, we propose that it is the variance in the logic underpinning employees' help seeking that explains divergent findings regarding the relationship between help seeking and task performance. Using a sample of 110 newly hired customer contact employees, a prospective study design, and archival performance data, we found no evidence of a hypothesized main effect of help seeking on performance. However, we did find that the help seeking-performance relationship was conditioned by the degree to which help seekers endorse 2 alternative help-seeking logics (autonomous vs. dependent logic) such that the level of help seeking is more strongly related to performance among those either more strongly endorsing an autonomous help-seeking logic or more weakly endorsing a dependent help-seeking logic.