Knowledge that Transforms

A primary objective of validity generalization analysis is to decompose the between-situation variance in validities into (a) variance attributable to between-situation differences in statistical artifacts and (b) variance attributable to between-situation differences in (unidentified) situational moderators. This process is based on the assumption that the effects of statistical artifacts on validities are independent of the effects of situational moderators on validities. The present article seeks to question the independence assumption by theoretically integrating situational variables into the validity generalization estimation process.

The scoring of the ? response option for items in the Work scale of the Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Smith, Kendall, & Hulin, 1969) was investigated. The scale was administered to 548 individuals at a large university. Analyses similar to those completed by Smith et al. and polychotomous item response theory (IRT) analyses were conducted. The results obtained with Smith et al.'s procedure confirmed that the ? option should be scored as a more negative than positive response for the overall scale. Work satisfaction items that did not discriminate between satisfied and dissatisfied individuals were identified from the latent trait analyses. Using IRT to evaluate such item response options as neutral and no opinion is discussed. Results from items in the Co-Workers and Pay scales of the JDI and the Health and Retirement Valence scales of the Retirement Descriptive Index (Smith et al., 1969) are described

A construct validation approach was followed to affirm that 8 physical ability test events were significantly related to two important constructs underlying the job performance of police officers: strength and endurance. A sample of 115 incumbent police officers took 8 physical ability tests and were rated by supervisors on their physical performances in their job. LISREL methods were used to test the model specified, and a reasonable fit was achieved. Portions of the model were tested on an independent sample of 161 applicants; the fit of the model was again acceptable. A nomological network of relationships, in which strength and endurance factors correlated in expected directions with other physiological and demographic variables, was hypothesized and tested. Finally, the data were examined for potential gender differences and bias. Considerable differences were shown between men and women on both test and performance variables, and women would be overpredicted if a common regression line were used for selection purposes.

Two studies of U.S. and Japanese respondents assessed attitudes resulting from viewing the film Roger & Me (Moore, 1989). In Experiment 1, the responses of 162 adults who had seen the film in the U.S. were contrasted with 106 people about to view the film. Those who saw the film exhibited more cynical (negative) attitudes toward General Motors in particular and toward U.S. business in general. Experiment 2 employed a Solomon four-group design in Tokyo, Japan, to assess the generalizability of the U.S. results and also to assess attitude change from pretest to posttest

Recent applications of latent variable modeling (LVM) of reciprocal relationships involving employee attitudes were examined with regard to assumptions made about unmeasured variables and correlations among residuals of structural equations. Data from two published studies from the job satisfaction and organizational commitment literature were reanalyzed with LVM. The consequence of specifying residual correlations were examined for models containing nonlagged and lagged reciprocal effects. The results of model comparison tests in both samples supported the importance of specifying correlations among the residuals, and many of the residual correlations estimated were statistically significant

A robust finding in assessment center research is that ratings cluster according to exercises and not dimensions. Seeking further understanding of exercise effects, we proposed two exercise-based factors, exercise form and exercise content, as sources of variance in assessment center ratings. Exercise designs were manipulated so that two levels of form (leaderless group discussions and role play exercises) were crossed with two levels of content (cooperative and competitive task designs). Analyse of variance and confirmatory factor analysis procedures applied to multitrait-multimethod ratings of 89 high school student assessees revealed that most of the variance in the ratings was explained by exercises and not dimensions.

Two laboratory experiments with 117 undergraduate students were conducted to examine (a) the effect of assigned goal difficulty on arousal (self-report and heart rate), cognition (perceived norm, self-efficacy strength, and personal goal), and behavioral (task performance) measures and (b) the role of heart rate as a mediator of the goal-difficulty-performance relation. All Ss performed a task requiring cognitive and physical responses. Results of both experiments demonstrated that assigned goal difficulty affected heart rate, cognition, and task performance and that heart-rate change was positively related to the cognitive and behavioral measures. Regression analyses suggested that a cognitive-affective mechanism may mediate the goal-difficulty-performance relation. Discussion is focused on the theoretical and practical implications of integrating an arousal concept within goal-setting theory.

We considered the effects of frame-of-reference (FOR) training on raters' ability to correctly classify ratee performance as well as their ability to recognize previously observed behaviors. The purpose was to examine the cognitive changes associated with FOR training to better understand why such training generally improves rating accuracy. We trained college students (N = 94) using either FOR or control procedures, had them observe three managers on videotape, and rate the managers on three performance dimensions. Results supported our hypotheses that, compared with control training, FOR training led to better rating accuracy and better classification accuracy. Also consistent with predictions, FOR training resulted in lower decision criteria (i.e., higher bias) and lower behavioral accuracy on a recognition memory task involving impression-consistent behaviors. The implications of these results are discussed, particularly in terms of the ability of FOR-trained raters to provide accurate performance feedback to ratees.

We used hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis to test alternative latent structures underlying performance in multiple dimensions as measured by work samples and three rating sources. The model receiving strongest support was one that specified multidimensional trait (performance dimension) and measurement method second-order factors (SOFs). This model exhibited significant convergent and discrimant validity, showed significant measurement method effects, and indicated that different measurement methods assess somewhat different aspects of the total criterion construct space. Significant correlations between measurement method SOFs and performance predictors suggest the need to reconsider the interpretation of method factors, not as bias, but as possibly representing different overall perspectives on performance