EXAMINING RATING SOURCE VARIATION IN WORK BEHAVIOR TO KSA LINKAGES

We examined Work Behavior to knowledge, skill, or ability linkage ratings for 9 jobs to determine the degree to which differences in the ratings were due to rater type. We collected ratings from incumbents and 2 types of job analysts: project job analysts (analysts knowledgeable of the job) and nonproject job analysts (analysts with very little or no knowledge of the job). In our analyses of the data, we calculated means, standard deviations, effect sizes, and correlations for each rater type, as well as compared the reliability of the ratings. We also estimated variance components for each job by conducting generalizability analyses ( Brennan, 1983 ; Shavelson, Webb, & Rowley, 1989 ). Our findings indicate that the level of linkage ratings is similar across rater types, that it is important to obtain ratings from multiple raters regardless of rater type, and that ratings from job analysts may be more reliable than those of incumbents.     

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A COMPUTERIZED INTERPRETATION SYSTEM FOR PERSONNEL TESTS

A computerized system was developed for generating narrative interpretations of scores from a battery of personnel screening tests. The report structure and interpretive statement library were designed to capture the test expertise and interpretive strategies of a panel of testing experts. This was accomplished by enumerating the questions that the experts believed the battery could answer, developing answers to these questions, and devising rules for selecting the appropriate answers based on test-battery scores. The accuracy, thoroughness, readability, and coherence of the computer-generated reports were evaluated in comparison to reports generated by human experts for the same examinees. Results of the evaluation showed the computerized reports to be more accurate and thorough, as readable, and somewhat less coherent than interpretations generated by the typical human expert. The computerized system development and validation strategies described are useful for other applications in which numbers are interpreted in a narrative report format.     

INTEGRITY TESTING FOR PERSONNEL SELECTION: AN UPDATE

Sackett and M. M. Harris (1984) reviewed published and unpublished literature on the use of commercially available paper-and-pencil integrity tests for employee selection. This paper reviews recent developments in this area. Legal issues related to the use of the polygraph, and integrity tests are discussed. Empirical research on the reliability, criterion-related validity, construct validity, fakability, and adverse impact of integrity tests is reviewed. Major changes since the previous review include (1) the emergence of two distinct types of tests, labeled overt integrity tests and personality-oriented measures, (2) a broadening of the criteria used for test validation to include global performance, absence, turnover, and forms of counterproductivity other than theft, and (3) an increase in the use of external criteria (e.g., detected theft, turnover) rather than self-report criteria (e.g., admissions of theft) in validation research. Difficulties in interpreting research findings and practical constraints on the use of integrity tests are discussed.     

Therapy Outcomes: Client Perception and Similarity with Therapist View

This study examined clients' perceptions of therapy outcome and how those perceptions related to therapist views. Additionally, the effects of client and therapist gender and ethnicity, and the match on these variables (e.g., female therapist-female client) were examined. Results showed that clients generally improved from both the client and therapist perceptions, although therapists' views were influenced by client ethnicity. There was no difference between gender or ethnicity matches on perception of outcome. Further examination showed that gender and ethnicity interacted to influence both client and therapist perceptions of outcome. The authors discuss the research and practice implications of these findings.     

Race‐Based Social Judgment by Minority Perceivers1

The present study investigated processes of social judgment from the perspective of a minority group. Black participants evaluated either Black or White law‐school applicants who possessed either strong or weak credentials. Consistent with predictions of the shifting‐standards model (Biernat, Manis, & Nelson, 1991), a significant pattern of out‐group polarization emerged when judgments were made on subjective, but not objective response scales. Importantly, results revealed that out‐group polarization on subjective response scales was moderated by participants' stereotypes. In line with shifting‐standards predictions, only participants who viewed Blacks relatively favorably, compared to Whites, on the dimension of school performance showed a significant pattern of out‐group polarization. The shifting‐standards model is discussed in relation to other judgment models.     

Attachment Styles and Reactions to Nonverbal Involvement Change in Romantic Dyads Patterns of Reciprocity and Compensation

Attachment-theory principles suggest that those with different attachment styles will react to nonverbal involvement change in a manner consistent with their approach/avoidance orientations and mental working models of self and others. It was hypothesized that preoccupieds initially reciprocate increases in involvement, but compensate for decreases, whereas dismissives initially compensate for increases in involvement, but reciprocate decreases. A second hypothesis predicted that over time interactants reciprocate both increases and decreases in nonverbal involvement. Partners in enduring romantic relationships participated in two separate conversations. Between conversations, one member of each dyad was enlisted as a confederate who increased or decreased nonverbal immediacy and positive affect in the second conversation. Results indicated that, regardless of attachment style, targets reciprocated confederate behavior in the increase-involvement condition and displayed behavior indicative of both compensation and reciprocity in the decrease-involvement condition. However, preoccupieds showed the strongest pattern of reciprocating increases in involvement and compensating for decreases in involvement. Results also demonstrated a pull toward reciprocity over time. Findings are interpreted in light of the bidimensional model of distancing and interaction adaptation theory, with results most supportive of the latter theory.