skip to main content skip to footer

The Ability of Psychologists to Estimate Validities of Personnel Tests Used in a Department Store

Author(s):
Parry, Mary Ellen
Publication Year:
1966
Report Number:
RB-66-38
Source:
ETS Research Bulletin
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
13
Subject/Key Words:
Clerical Occupations, Industrial Psychology, Occupational Tests, Personnel Evaluation, Sales Occupations, Test Validity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the validity estimates of 10 psychologists, knowledgeable in both test content and job requirements, with validity coefficients obtained by correlating employees' test scores and a job performance criteria. Three departments of a large department store were used, Merchandise Clerical, Stock Records Clerical, and Supervisory Trainees. The correlations between test scores and merit ratings were generally higher for the two clerical departments than they were for the Supervisory Trainee department. The means of the psychologists' estimates of the test validities were not significantly correlated with the actual results for any of the three departments: .22 for the Merchandise Clerical department, .51 for the Stock Records Clerical department, and -.49 for the Supervisory Trainees. The validity estimates of each psychologist were then considered separately across all three departments. The correlation between estimated and actual validities was significant for only one psychologist.

Read More