31. The extent to which performance on the selection measure (i.e., the predictor) is associated with performance on the job is called:
A. reliability.
B. validity.
C. generalizability.
D. utility.
The extent to which a performance measure assesses all the relevant — and only the relevant — aspects of job performance.
32. Which of the following is not a way to increase the reliability of a test?
A. Make the test easier
B. Make the test longer
C. Write clear and unambiguous instructions
D. Use computer adaptive testing
There are many ways to increase the reliability of a test, which includes clear and unambiguous items and increasing the length of the test. Also, computer adaptive testing can generate highly reliable tests by tailoring the item sequencing and selection process differently for each individual.
33. Correlation coefficient reflects a(n) ______ coefficient when we are attempting to relate one characteristic to performance on some task.
A. reliability
B. validity
C. utility
D. generalizability
The key distinction is that the correlation reflects a reliability estimate when we are attempting to assess the same characteristic twice, but the correlation coefficient reflects a validity coefficient when we are attempting to relate one characteristic to performance on some task.
34. The general method of establishing the validity of a selection method by showing that there is an empirical association between scores on the selection measure and scores for job performance is called:
A. criterion-related validation.
B. split-half estimate of validation.
C. content validation.
D. reliability of the measurement and validation.
If there is a substantial correlation between test scores and job-performance scores, criterion-related validity has been established.
35. You would be in the best position to decide whether or not to hire one applicant versus another based on their respective scores on a cognitive ability test if:
A. a content validation design had been used.
B. a concurrent criterion-related design had been used.
C. reliability of the test was known.
D. it was shown that the validity of the test was "situationally specific."
A criterion-related validity study in which a test is administered to all the people currently in a job and then incumbents' scores are correlated with existing measures of their performance on the job.
36. To test the validity of your selection device for widget makers, you have given it to the present widget makers in your company and correlated it with their latest performance appraisal scores. What type of strategy have you used?
A. Predictive criterion-related validation
B. Content validation
C. Concurrent criterion-related validation
D. Utility
Concurrent Validation — A criterion-related validity study in which a test is administered to all the people currently in a job and then incumbents' scores are correlated with existing measures of their performance on the job.
37. You want to establish the validity of a test designed for computer technicians using a predictive criterion-related validation strategy. To do so, you must administer the test to:
A. at least half your present computer technicians.
B. people doing similar jobs in other companies.
C. people applying for computer technician jobs in your company.
D. only your current computer technicians who are performing at or above acceptable levels.
Predictive Validation — A criterion-related validity study that seeks to establish an empirical relationship between applicants' test scores and their eventual performance on the job.
38. Because current employees have learned many things on the job that job applicants have not yet learned:
A. all predictive methods are ineffective.
B. content validation is superior to predictive validation.
C. concurrent validation is superior to content validation.
D. predictive validation is superior to concurrent validation.
Despite the extra effort and time needed for predictive validation, it is superior to concurrent validation for a number of reasons — First, job applicants are typically more motivated to perform well on the tests than are current employees. Second, current employees have learned many things on the job that job applicants have not. Third, current employees tend to be homogeneous.
39. Which of the following validation strategies is most likely to be adversely affected by the "restriction of range" problem that results from current employees tending to be homogeneous?
A. Predictive criterion-related
B. Concurrent criterion-related
C. Content
D. Face
Restricted range makes it hard to detect a relationship between test scores and job-performance scores because few of the current employees will be very low on the characteristic that is being tried to validate.
40. A criterion-related validation study with a small sample of employees (e.g., 20 people):
A. is much more efficient and, as a result, is likely to have high utility.
B. requires many subjective judgments about whether the skill or knowledge assessed is essential to the job.
C. requires the use of a concurrent criterion-related design.
D. is almost doomed to fail from the start.
Although it is generally true that bigger correlations are better, the size of the sample on which the correlation is based plays a large role as well.