CHAPTER 6: EVALUATING SELECTION TECHNIQUES AND DESCISIONS

Question 1

The extent to which a score from a test or from an evaluation is consistent and free from error.

Answer 1

Reliability

Question 2

The extent to which repeated administration of the same test will achieve similar results.

Answer 2

Test-retest reliability

Question 3

The consistency of test scores across time.

Answer 3

Temporal stability

Question 4

The extent to which two forms of the same test are similar.

Answer 4

Alternate-forms reliability

Question 5

A method of controlling for order effects by giving half of a sample Test A first, followed by Test B, and giving the other half of the sample Test B first, followed by Test A.

Answer 5

Counterbalancing

Question 6

The extent to which the scores on two forms of a test are similar.

Answer 6

Form stability

Question 7

The extent to which responses to the same test items are consistent.

Answer 7

Item stability

Question 8

The extent to which test items measure the same construct.

Answer 8

Item homogeneity

Question 9

A statistic used to determine internal reliability of tests that use items with dichotomous answers (yes/no, true/false).

Answer 9

Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (K-R 20)

Question 10

A form of internal reliability in which the consistency of item responses is determined by comparing scores on half of the items with scores on the other half of the items.

Answer 10

Split-half method

Question 11

Used to correct reliability coefficients resulting from the split-half method.

Answer 11

Spearman-Brown prophecy formula

Question 12

A statistic used to determine internal reliability of tests that use interval or ratio scales.

Answer 12

Coefficient alpha

Question 13

The extent to which two people scoring a test agree on the test score, or the extent to which a test is scored correctly.

Answer 13

Scorer reliability

Question 14

The degree to which inferences from test scores are justified by the evidence.

Answer 14

Validity

Question 15

The extent to which tests or test items sample the content that they are supposed to measure.

Answer 15

content validity

Question 16

The extent to which a test score is related to some measure of job performance.

Answer 16

Criterion validity

Question 17

A measure of job performance, such as attendance, productivity, or a supervisor rating.

Answer 17

Criterion

Question 18

A form of criterion validity that correlates test scores with measures of job performance for employees currently working for an organization

Answer 18

Concurrent validity

Question 19

A form of criterion validity in which test scores of applicants are compared at a later date with a measure of job performance.

Answer 19

Predictive validity

Question 20

A narrow range of performance scores that makes it difficult to obtain a significant validity coefficient.

Answer 20

Restricted range

Question 21

The extent to which inferences from test scores from one organization can be applied to another organization.

Answer 21

Validity generalization (VG)

Question 22

A form of validity generalization in which validity is inferred on the basis of a match between job components and tests previously found valid for those job components.

Answer 22

Synthetic validity

Question 23

The extent to which a test actually measures the construct that it purports to measure.

Answer 23

Construct validity

Question 24

A form of validity in which test scores from two contrasting groups “known” to differ on a construct are compared.

Answer 24

Known-group validity

Question 25

The extent to which a test appears to be valid.

Answer 25

Face validity

Question 26

Statements, such as those used in astrological forecasts, that are so general that they can be true of almost anyone.

Answer 26

Barnum statements

Question 27

A book containing information about the reliability and validity of various psychological tests.

Answer 27

Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY)

Question 28

A type of test taken on a computer in which the computer adapts the difficulty level of questions asked to the test taker’s success in answering previous questions.

Answer 28

Computer-adaptive testing (CAT)

Question 29

A series of tables based on the selection ratio, base rate, and test validity that yield information about the percentage of future employees who will be successful if a particular test is used.

Answer 29

Taylor-Russell tables

Question 30

The percentage of applicants an organization hires.

Answer 30

Selection ratio

Question 31

Percentage of current employees who are considered successful.

Answer 31

Base rate

Question 32

A utility method that compares the percentage of times a selection decision was accurate with the percentage of successful employees.

Answer 32

Proportion of correct decisions

Question 33

Tables that use thebase rate, test validity, andapplicant percentileona test todeterminetheprobability of future success for that applicant.

Answer 33

Lawshe tables

Question 34

Method of as certaining the extent to which an organization will benefit from the use of a particular selection system.

Answer 34

Utility formula

Question 35

The length of time an employee has been with an organization.

Answer 35

Tenure

Question 36

Group differences in test scores that are unrelated to the construct being measured.

Answer 36

Measurement bias

Question 37

An employment practice that results in members of a protected class being negatively affected at a higher rate than members of the majority class. Adverse impact is usually determined by the fourfifths rule.

Answer 37

Adverse impact

Question 38

A situation in which the predicted level of job success falsely favors one group over another.

Answer 38

Predictive bias

Question 39

The characteristic of a test that significantly predicts a criterion for one class of people but not for another.

Answer 39

Single-group validity

Question 40

The characteristic of a test that significantly predicts a criterion for two groups, such as both minorities and nonminorities, but predicts significantly better for one of the two groups.

Answer 40

Differential validity

Question 41

A statistical procedure in which the scores from more than one criterion-valid test are weighted according to how well each test score predicts the criterion.

Answer 41

Multiple regression

Question 42

Selecting applicants in straight rank order of their test scores.

Answer 42

Top-down selection

Question 43

A method of making selection decisions in which a high score on one test can compensate for a low score on another test. For example, a high GPA might compensate for a low GRE score.

Answer 43

Compensatory approach

Question 44

A variation on top-down selection in which the names of the top three applicants are given to a hiring authority who can then select any of the three.

Answer 44

Rule of three

Question 45

The minimum test score that an applicant must achieve to be considered for hire.

Answer 45

Passing score

Question 46

A selection strategy in which applicants must meet or exceed the passing score on more than one selection test.

Answer 46

Multiple-cutoff approach

Question 47

Selection practice of administering one test at a time so that applicants must pass that test before being allowed to take the next test.

Answer 47

Multiple-hurdle approach

Question 48

A statistical technique based on the standard error of measurement that allows similar test scores to be grouped.

Answer 48

Banding

Question 49

The number of points that a test score could be off due to test unreliability.

Answer 49

Standard error of measurement (SEM