PRIOR SELECTION CAUSES BIASED ESTIMATES OF STANDARDIZED ETHNIC GROUP DIFFERENCES: SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS

Assessment of standardized ethnic group differences ( d ) on predictors of job performance has become an important issue for applied psychologists. A number of studies have used an experimental design in which the predictor of interest was administered after an initial screening predictor. We examined the influence of prior selection on a first predictor on observed ds for second predictors in multiple-hurdle selection systems. Results of a Monte Carlo simulation indicate observed dson the second predictor are underestimated in the presence of prior selection on another predictor. More important, "downward bias" in observed standardized ethnic group difference is substantial (30-70%) when selection ratios are low, standardized ethnic group differences on the screening predictor are high, and when the first and second predictors correlate above .30. Researchers should consider the influence of range restriction in designing studies of ethnic group differences and comparing ds across predictors, particularly when data are collected under a multiple-hurdle design.     

Career Development in Business and Industry

Mihal, W., Sorce, P., & Comte, T. (1984). A process model of individual career decision making. Academy of Management Review, 9, 95–103. Stumpf, S., & Hartman, K. (1984). Individual exploration to organizational commitment or withdrawal. Academy of Management Journal, 27, 308–329.     

Needed: Competent,Confident, and Committed Career Counselors

Gelso, C., Prince, J., Cornfeld, J., Payne, A., Royalty, G., & Wiley, M. (1985). Quality of counselors intake evaluations for clients with problems that are primarily vocational versus personal. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 32, 339–347. Pinkney, J., & Jacobs, D. (1985). New counselor's and personal interest in the tasks of career counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 32, 454–457.     

Physical "Phantasies" and Family Functions: Overcoming the Mind/Body Dualism in Somatization

In this article, we examine some of the ways in which family therapists have conceptualized the experience of illness of unexplained physical origin. We argue that opinions about the etiology of somatic symptoms should not be the primary focus of therapeutic work with people who share the prototypical characteristics of what has been defined as "somatization disorder." We suggest that current research in neurobiology can expand the linguistic resources of clinicians and help them avoid perpetuating unhelpful dichotomies between the mind and the body.     

The Value of the U.S. Employment Service Automated Reporting System to Employment Counselors

This article discusses the value of the Employment Service Automated Reporting System, which assists labor market planners in employment and training agencies in developing necessary programs for reducing unemployment at the local level. It is postulated that more states should use the data from the system but be careful to avoid misleading approaches.