A field study of job applicants' reactions to personality and cognitive ability testing.

Abstract

Eighty job applicants were screened through 1 of 3 job-selection conditions depending on the job for which they were applying: interviews only; interviews plus a personality inventory (the NEO Personality Inventory); or interviews, personality inventory, and cognitive ability testing. Applicants' reactions were generally favorable in all conditions but were significantly less positive in the interview plus personality test condition. The condition of a battery of both personality and ability tests (in addition to the interview) was perceived as positively as the no-test control condition. These results suggest that personality inventories can be included in employee-selection procedures without creating adverse reactions among job applicants as long as they are used in conjunction with ability tests.

Job applicants’ attitudes towards cognitive ability and personality testing

“…These results support the findings of Rosse et al (1994) that the compartmentalisation of selection practices (e.g. interview, references checks, psychological tests and work sample tests) does not occur as readily within categories (e.g.…”

“…The forced-choice-item format of the personality test used in this study had the potential of eliciting negative responses as the perceived influence over the outcome of the assessment was reduced (Van Vianen et al, 2004). However, it appears that this may not have differentially skewed TAs in favour of the cognitive ability tests because of the compensatory effects of using the tests in combination (Rosse et al, 1994). Cognitive ability tests generally elicit more positive responses from job applicants because of the perceived scientific validity of these tests (Lievens et al, 2003) and the use of concrete test items instead of abstract test items (as was the case in this study) (Gilliland & Steiner, 2012).…”

“…The findings of studies about the effect of demographic variables on TAs are generally mixed (Rosse, Miller & Stecher, 1994). The effect of race on cognitive ability test performance is found to be mediated partially by motivation: a portion of the difference in the test performance of African and white people may be explained through differences in TM (Whitman et al, 2014).…”

“…The favourability of testing situations may trigger a positive or negative attitude (according to attribution theory) towards tests, supported by the perceived congruence (according to social psychological models) between the applicants' self-identity and the company's culture and values. Although research evidence generally points to a difference in job applicants' favourability rating of cognitive ability and personality tests, research carried out by Rosse et al (1994) suggests that measures from the same category (e.g. psychological tests) applied conjointly may compensate for each other in terms of perceived relevance and fairness, resulting in job applicants reacting similarly to these measures (Rosse et al, 1994).…”

“…Although research evidence generally points to a difference in job applicants' favourability rating of cognitive ability and personality tests, research carried out by Rosse et al (1994) suggests that measures from the same category (e.g. psychological tests) applied conjointly may compensate for each other in terms of perceived relevance and fairness, resulting in job applicants reacting similarly to these measures (Rosse et al, 1994). In line with the findings of previous studies, it is argued that the experience of tests of a demographically diverse group of job applicants should affect TM and general TAs similarly irrespective of group membership.…”