Is Retest Bias Biased?

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason G. Randall ◽  
Anton J. Villado ◽  
Christina U. Zimmer
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Emotional Stability ◽  
Adverse Impact ◽  
Mental Ability ◽  
Ability Test ◽  
General Mental Ability ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms

Abstract. The purpose of this study was to test for race and sex differences in general mental ability (GMA) retest performance and to identify the psychological mechanisms underlying these differences. An initial and retest administration of a GMA assessment separated by a six-week span was completed by 318 participants. Contrary to our predictions, we found that race, sex, and emotional stability failed to moderate GMA retest performance. However, GMA assessed via another ability test and conscientiousness both partially explained retest performance. Additionally, we found that retesting may reduce adverse impact ratios by lowering the hiring threshold. Ultimately, our findings reinforce the need for organizations to consider race, sex, ability, and personality when implementing retesting procedures.

A Theory of Sex Differences in Technical Aptitude and Some Supporting Evidence

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 560-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mental Ability ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Aptitude Tests ◽  
General Mental Ability ◽  
Technical Aptitude

In this article, I present a theory that explains the origin of sex differences in technical aptitudes. The theory takes as proven that there are no sex differences in general mental ability (GMA), and it postulates that sex differences in technical aptitude (TA) stem from differences in experience in technical areas, which is in turn based on sex differences in technical interests. Using a large data set, I tested and found support for four predictions made by this theory: (a) the construct level correlation between technical aptitude and GMA is larger for females than males, (b) the observed and true score variability of technical aptitude is greater among males than females, (c) at every level of GMA females have lower levels of technical aptitude, and (d) technical aptitude measures used as estimates of GMA for decision purposes would result in underestimation of GMA levels for girls and women. Given that GMA carries the weight of prediction of job performance, the support found for this last prediction suggests that, for many jobs, technical aptitude tests may underpredict the job performance of female applicants and employees. Future research should examine this question.

scholarly journals Academic Achievement and Intelligence among School Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (37) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suman Kumari Katoch
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Statistical Technique ◽  
Rural Students ◽  
Mental Ability ◽  
School Students ◽  
Ability Test ◽  
General Mental Ability ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Descriptive Method

Education instill in the child a sense of maturity and responsibility by bringing in him the desired changes according to his needs and demands of ever changing society, of which he is an integral part. The descriptive method of research was justified in view of the objective of the study. All the students of 10th class of district Shimla constituted the population of the study. From the selected district, 10 schools (5 - rural area school and 5 - urban area school) were taken on the basis of random sampling. In the third step 22 students were drawn randomly from 10th class of each school. The total sample was consists of 220 hundred urban and rural students. The investigator used General Mental Ability Test for data collection. The t-test statistical technique was used in this study. The rural and urban students do not differ significantly on the variable of academic achievement and intelligence.

Is It Possible to Improve Test Takers’ Perceptions of Ability Tests by Providing an Explanation?

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Klaus G. Melchers ◽  
Barbara Körner
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mental Ability ◽  
Ability Test ◽  
Selection Procedures ◽  
General Mental Ability ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Content Relevance ◽  
Ability Tests ◽  
Group A

Abstract. Previous meta-analytic findings have revealed that explanations can improve applicants’ perceptions of selection procedures. However, they also suggest that these positive effects do not generalize to ability tests. Given some limitations of previous studies and the small empirical basis for the corresponding meta-analytic results, we had another look at whether perceptions of ability tests can be improved by providing an explanation. In two experimental studies, participants had to complete either an attention or a general mental ability test. In the explanation group, a justification was given concerning the content, relevance, and predictiveness of the test. In contrast, no explanation was given in the control group. Providing an explanation significantly improved test takers’ fairness perceptions.

The Validity of Specific Cognitive Abilities for the Prediction of Training Success in Germany

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wiebke Goertz ◽  
Ute R. Hülsheger ◽  
Günter W. Maier
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Personnel Selection ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Mental Ability ◽  
Occupational Category ◽  
General Mental Ability ◽  
Training Success ◽  
Specific Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Better Than

General mental ability (GMA) has long been considered one of the best predictors of training success and considerably better than specific cognitive abilities (SCAs). Recently, however, researchers have provided evidence that SCAs may be of similar importance for training success, a finding supporting personnel selection based on job-related requirements. The present meta-analysis therefore seeks to assess validities of SCAs for training success in various occupations in a sample of German primary studies. Our meta-analysis (k = 72) revealed operational validities between ρ = .18 and ρ = .26 for different SCAs. Furthermore, results varied by occupational category, supporting a job-specific benefit of SCAs.

Sex Differences in Physical Ability: Implications for Adverse Impact

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bennett E. Postlethwaite ◽  
Stephen H. Courtright ◽  
Brian W. McCormick ◽  
Michael K. Mount
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Adverse Impact ◽  
Physical Ability

scholarly journals Investigating the Structure of Intelligence Using Latent Variable and Psychometric Network Modeling: A Commentary and Reanalysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Schmank ◽  
Sara Anne Goring ◽  
Kristof Kovacs ◽  
Andrew R. A. Conway
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Network Modeling ◽  
Network Models ◽  
Mental Ability ◽  
Variable Model ◽  
General Mental Ability ◽  
Theories Of Intelligence ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Model Preference

In a recent publication in the Journal of Intelligence, Dennis McFarland mischaracterized previous research using latent variable and psychometric network modeling to investigate the structure of intelligence. Misconceptions presented by McFarland are identified and discussed. We reiterate and clarify the goal of our previous research on network models, which is to improve compatibility between psychological theories and statistical models of intelligence. WAIS-IV data provided by McFarland were reanalyzed using latent variable and psychometric network modeling. The results are consistent with our previous study and show that a latent variable model and a network model both provide an adequate fit to the WAIS-IV. We therefore argue that model preference should be determined by theory compatibility. Theories of intelligence that posit a general mental ability (general intelligence) are compatible with latent variable models. More recent approaches, such as mutualism and process overlap theory, reject the notion of general mental ability and are therefore more compatible with network models, which depict the structure of intelligence as an interconnected network of cognitive processes sampled by a battery of tests. We emphasize the importance of compatibility between theories and models in scientific research on intelligence.

Quick Word Test Validity with Adults

1967 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 488-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arden Grotelueschen ◽  
Thomas J. Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Test Validity ◽  
Mental Ability ◽  
Valid Measure ◽  
General Mental Ability ◽  
Word Test ◽  
Iq Scores

Quick Word Test (QWT) total and part scores for 178 adults were correlated with WAIS IQ scores. Pearson rs of .77 and .74 were found between total QWT scores and WAIS verbal and total IQ scores, respectively. Data indicate that the QWT appears to be a valid measure of general mental ability.

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