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Chapter 4: Predictors: Psychological AssessmentLearning Objectives

• Identify the major types of reliability and what they measure.

• Understand the major manifestations of validity and what they measure.

• Know the major types of psychological tests categorized by administration and content.

• Explain the role of psychological testing in making assessments of people, including ethical issues and predictive accuracy.

• Explain non-test predictors such as interviews, assessment centers, work samples, biographical information, and letters of recommendation.

• Understand the controversial methods of assessment.

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Figure 4-1 Badge worn by a salesperson referencing “validate” and “validation”.

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Chapter Summary

• Predictors are methods (such as a test, interview, or letter of recommendation) used to forecast (or predict) a criterion.

• High-quality predictors must manifest two psychometric standards: reliability and validity.

• Psychological tests and inventories have been used to predict relevant workplace criteria for more than 100 years.

• Psychological assessment is a big business. There are many publishers of psychological tests used to assess candidates’ suitability for employment.

• The most commonly used predictors are tests of general mental ability, personality inventories, aptitude tests, work samples, interviews, and letters of recommendation.

• Predictors can be evaluated in terms of their validity (accuracy), fairness, cost, and applicability.

• Online testing is a major trend in psychological assessment.

• Controversial methods of prediction include polygraphy, graphology, and tests of emotional intelligence.

• There are broad cross-cultural differences in the acceptability of predictors used to evaluate job candidates. The interview is the most universally accepted method.