Deck 3: Human Resource Measurement in Selection

Question 1

Variables used to predict who would be selected for a job must be important to the job and must be appropriately measured.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A scale of measurement is a means by which individuals can be distinguished from one another on a variable of interest.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

National data are preferable to local norms for making employment decisions.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Criterion variables serve as definitions of what is meant by employee success on the job.

Question 5

An interval scale has an absolute zero point.

Question 6

Z-scores (or standard scores)are the most common metric presented by publishers of selection measures.

Question 7

Level A tests require the most extensive preparation on the part of the test administrator.

Question 8

An interview tailored to specific applicants (i.e.,different questions are asked to different applicants)would be considered a "standardized" measure.

Question 9

The degree of precision with which we can measure differences among people increases as we move from nominal to ratio scales.

Question 10

Judgmental data (e.g.,performance appraisals)and work sample data essentially measure the same thing.

Question 11

Using an interval scale,a person scoring 100 on a test has twice as much ability as another person scoring 50 on the same test.

Question 12

The first step to develop a selection measure is selecting the method of measurement to be used.

Question 13

Classifying individuals based on dichotomous categories (e.g.,male/female)is using a nominal scale of measurement.

Question 14

To interpret the results of measurements,we need information on how others scored and on the validity of the measure.

Question 15

Race norming is considered an illegal practice.

Question 16

It is the manner in which the criterion is measured,not the criterion itself,that determines level of measurement.

Question 17

If Susan scores 5 percentile points higher on a selection test than Jack,we can conclude that Susan is 5 percent better than Jack for the job.

Question 18

Poor measurement in selection can be compensated for by sophisticated statistical analysis.

Question 19

An ordinal scale provides information on the magnitude of differences among ranks.

Question 20

In general,the higher the percentile score,the better a person's performance relative to others in the normative sample.

Question 21

Applicant sex (female,male)is an example of what scale of measurement?

A)normal
B)ordinal
C)interval
D)ratio

Question 22

All of the following are categories of predictors EXCEPT:

A)background information.
B)self assessment.
C)interviews.
D)tests.

Question 23

Which of the following is not a type of scale of measurement?

A)ratio
B)interval
C)ordinal
D)normal

Question 24

Which of the following is true about scales of measurement?

A)Most human resource selection measures are ratio scales of measurement.
B)Precision is a function of how you measure, not the scale of measurement.
C)More powerful statistical analyses can be performed with interval and ratio data than with nominal and ordinal data.
D)Powerful statistical analyses can be performed with all scales of measurement.

Question 25

For a predictor or criterion to be considered standardized,it is important to assess which of the following characteristics?

A)context, administration, analysis
B)content, administration, scoring
C)content, breadth, scope
D)timing, planning, implementation

Question 26

"Level B" tests:

A)require some formal training and knowledge of psychological testing concepts to properly score and interpret.
B)require very little formal training to administer, score, and interpret the results.
C)require no formal training to administer, score, and interpret the results.
D)require the most extensive preparation on the part of the test administrator.

Question 27

"Precision" in measurement refers to:

A)the number of distinct scores permitted by the measure that is used.
B)the number of different raters permitted by the measure that is used.
C)whether a measure is reliable.
D)whether a measure can be correlated with other similar measures.

Question 28

Which of the following is true about percentile scores?

A)They are based upon an ordinal scale of measurement.
B)A percentile score of 60 is twice as good as a percentile score of 30.
C)Many statistical manipulations can be legitimately performed.
D)They can be legitimately added, subtracted, divided, and multiplied.

Question 29

Which of the following is not an advantage of finding and using existing selection measures?

A)They may be superior to what could be developed in-house.
B)They are usually less time-consuming and less expensive than developing new ones.
C)They are usually more legally acceptable than those developed in-house.
D)Previous research may have been conducted providing information about the reliability, validity, etc.of the measure.

Question 30

Which of the following scales rank-orders individuals from "high" to "low" on some variable of interest?

A)nominal
B)ordinal
C)interval
D)ratio
E)Z scale

Question 31

Which of the following requires no formal training to administer,score,and interpret?`

A)Level A tests
B)Level B tests
C)Level C tests
D)Level Z tests

Question 32

Psychological attributes (e.g.,intelligence,conscientiousness,job knowledge)must be inferred from:

A)direct observation.
B)secondary observation.
C)observable scores.
D)none of the above

Question 33

Stanine scores have which of the following ranges?

A)0 to 10
B)1 to 9
C)1 to 8
D)-1 to +1
E)-3 to +3

Question 34

Why do individuals today tend to score higher on general mental ability tests than test takers of 10 to 20 years ago?

A)The norms are not relevant.
B)Norms are transitory.
C)The norms are national rather than local.
D)The tests are better today.

Question 35

______________ usually assess some kind of behavior or performance on the job.

A)Interviews
B)Biographical data
C)Criterion measures
D)Employment tests

Question 36

Scores of relevant others in groups are called:

A)cutoff scores.
B)predictor variables.
C)norms.
D)causal maps.

Question 37

"Level A" tests:

A)require some formal training and knowledge of psychological testing concepts to properly score and interpret.
B)require very little formal training to administer, score, and interpret the results.
C)require no formal training to administer, score, and interpret the results.
D)require the most extensive preparation on the part of the test administrator.

Question 38

What does it mean that an individual makes a 70 on a test and this score corresponds to the 50th percentile?

A)The individual scored better than 70% of the people who took the test.
B)With a score of 50, he performed better than 50% of the people who took the test.
C)With a score of 70, he scored better than 50% of the people who took the test.
D)70 people scored higher than he did and 70 people scored lower than he did.

Question 39

Which of the following is the most important source for information on tests for personnel selection?

A)journals
B)Bibliographic Retrieval Service
C)Buros' Mental Measurements Yearbook
D)Psychware Sourcebook

Question 40

What is the first step necessary to develop a selection measure?

A)select the method of measurement to be used
B)develop the specifications or plan of the measure
C)construct the preliminary form of the measure
D)analyze the job

Question 41

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
Doesn't provide information on the magnitude of the differences among ranks.

Question 42

The ACT test and the SAT test are two different tests designed to predict performance in college.Ostensibly,they measure the same construct (i.e.,general mental ability),yet they use different scoring systems.If you had two college applicants' test scores,and one was a score on the ACT test while the other was a score on the SAT test,how would you determine which applicant was more qualified for college entrance?

Question 43

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
A difference between scores of 40 and 60 would not represent the same difference in applicants' mathematical abilities as the difference between 60 and 80.

Question 44

What are the most commonly used predictors and criteria for selection? Why do you think they are most commonly used?

Question 45

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
Employee rating of job satisfaction.

Question 46

In order to avoid negative numbers when interpreting test scores,which of the following conversions is most appropriate?

A)Z scores
B)T scores
C)Y scores
D)Pearson's conversion

Question 47

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
Most scales involving physical measurements or counting

Question 48

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
If an individual scored 80 on the test,we could not say that she scored twice as much as someone who scored a 40.

Question 49

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
Classifying applicants by their gender.

Question 50

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
The simplest form of measurement.

Question 51

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
Supervisory ranking of subordinates.

Question 52

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
Number of units produced by an employee.

Question 53

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
If individuals scored 0,we could say they got 0 items correct.

Question 54

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
Has an absolute zero.

Question 55

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
Numerical differences indicative of the relative position of individuals for the variable on which they are ranked.

Question 56

Why is effective measurement important to human resource selection?

Question 57

Using the eight steps for developing selection measures outlined in your book,develop a time line for creating a new selection measure.If you were to begin today,when would your new selection measure be ready for use? Be realistic in your time estimates and provide a rationale for them.

Question 58

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
We can only draw "greater than" or "less than" conclusions with this type of data.

Question 59

Match each of the following with the appropriate scale of measurement:
a.interval scale
c.ratio scale
b.ordinal scale
d.nominal scale
If one worker produces 100 wire baskets in an hour while another produces 50,we can state that the second worker produces half as much.

Question 60

You have two hours to find an existing selection measure to use for retail sales positions.Where will you look? What is the most likely source for finding such a measure?