Question 1

Which of the following is true of decision and utility theory?
A)It makes managers more likely to use data.
B)It is widely used in employee selection.
C)It requires information that is difficult to estimate.
D)It has been rejected for use in medical research.

Accepted Answer

Decision and utility theory often requires information that is difficult to estimate, such as probabilities of outcomes and the utility or value of those outcomes, which can be challenging to quantify accurately.

Question 2

A cutting score is
A)associated with the number of people allowed to take the test.
B)the minimum point for test reliability.
C)a decision point.
D)the base rate for a test with a dichotomous format.

Accepted Answer

A cutting score is essentially a decision point, used to differentiate between those who have achieved a certain level of proficiency or qualification and those who have not. It is not directly related to the number of test-takers, test reliability, or the base rate for dichotomous format tests.

Question 3

A base rate is
A)the number of "hits".
B)the proportion of people with a defined condition in the general population.
C)the chances of succeeding given a person is selected by a highly valid test.
D)the chances of failing given that a person is selected by a highly valid test.

Accepted Answer

The base rate refers to the proportion of people with a defined condition in the general population. It is a fundamental concept in fields such as epidemiology and psychology, where understanding the prevalence of a condition or trait within a larger population is crucial for research and intervention strategies.

Question 4

When a false negative rate is high, test makers may
A)re-norm the test.
B)add items to the test.
C)lower the cutoff.
D)increase reliability.

Accepted Answer

Lowering the cutoff score is a common method to reduce the false negative rate in testing. This adjustment makes it easier for test takers to be classified as "passing" or "positive," thereby reducing the chances of missing individuals who actually meet the criteria being tested for.

Question 5

In practice, employment interviews involve a search for
A)goodness of fit.
B)skill sets.
C)negative information.
D)employment history.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In practice, employment interviews involve a search...

Question 6

Which of the following is needed for Taylor-Russell tables?
A)determination of the reliability
B)definition of false negatives
C)identification of false positives
D)a definition of success

Accepted Answer

Taylor-Russell tables require a definition of success to determine the utility of a selection test in predicting successful outcomes.

Question 7

In structured interviews, candidates who work hard at impression management
A)have no advantage.
B)receive higher ratings.
C)are seen as manipulative.
D)pay less attention to the questions.

Accepted Answer

Candidates who work hard at impression management in structured interviews often receive higher ratings because they are able to present themselves in a more favorable light, influencing the interviewer's perception positively.

Question 8

Researchers who have reviewed the literature on employment interviews almost unanimously recommend
A)the use of an unstructured interview.
B)the use of a structured interview.
C)that the employer should depend upon their first impression.
D)that prospective employees cannot go too far in trying to make a good impression.

Accepted Answer

Structured interviews are recommended because they are more reliable and valid in predicting job performance compared to unstructured interviews. They provide a consistent format where each candidate is asked the same questions, allowing for fairer and more objective comparisons.

Question 9

Which type of employment interview has the lowest validity?
A)structured
B)psychologically-based
C)situational
D)value-added

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which type of employment interview has the...

Question 10

The difference between I/O psychology and human resource management is that
A)human resource emphasizes quantitative methods.
B)human resource emphasizes testing methods.
C)I/O psychology emphasizes quantitative methods.
D)I/O psychology emphasizes qualitative methods.

Accepted Answer

I/O (Industrial/Organizational) psychology emphasizes quantitative methods, focusing on the scientific study of human behavior in organizations and the workplace. This includes the use of statistics and measurement to understand and improve employee performance, motivation, and well-being. Human resource management, on the other hand, may utilize a broader range of methods, including qualitative approaches, for managing people and organizations.

Question 11

When there has been one unfavorable impression in an interview, ____ of the interviewees are rejected;  when there have been only positive impressions, ____ are rejected.
A)50%; 50%
B)75%; 25%
C)75%; 10%
D)90%; 25%

Accepted Answer

The answer of When there has been one unfavorable impression...

Question 12

If an applicant is selected on the basis of test performance, but fails on the job, the situation is described as a
A)hit.
B)false negative.
C)false positive.
D)high cutting score.

Accepted Answer

This situation is described as a "false positive" because the test incorrectly predicted success (positive outcome) by selecting an applicant who ultimately did not perform well on the job.

Question 13

What kind of score is used when a decision is dichotomous?
A)scaled
B)cutting
C)qualitative
D)normalized

Accepted Answer

A cutting score is used in dichotomous decisions, where outcomes are divided into two distinct categories, such as pass/fail, based on whether they fall above or below a specified threshold.

Question 14

The percent of cases in which a test accurately predicts success or failure is known as the
A)rate of accuracy (RA).
B)positive percentile.
C)hit rate.
D)base rate.

Accepted Answer

The hit rate refers to the percentage of cases in which a test accurately predicts success or failure, effectively measuring the test's accuracy in making correct predictions.

Question 15

On the basis of a psychological test, an individual is identified as schizophrenic. An interview reveals schizophrenic thinking and a history of psychiatric hospitalization. This case best illustrates a
A)false negative.
B)miss.
C)hit.

Accepted Answer

The case illustrates a "hit" because the psychological test's identification of the individual as schizophrenic is confirmed by the interview and the individual's history, indicating the test accurately identified the condition.

Question 16

When the cost of false positives is high, test makers may
A)abandon the test for one that is better.
B)raise the cutting score.
C)identify sources of variance.
D)change the method of administration.

Accepted Answer

Raising the cutting score (threshold for determining positive results) can help reduce false positives by making the criteria for a positive result more stringent. This is a common approach when the cost of false positives is high, as it aims to ensure that only the most likely true positives are identified, even if it means potentially increasing false negatives.

Question 17

____ psychology is the study and practice of job analysis, job recruitment, employee selection, and the evaluation of employees, while ____ psychology is the study and practice of leadership, job satisfaction, and employee motivation
A)Cognitive; social
B)Personnel; organizational
C)Human resource; leadership
D)Selection psychology; motivational

Accepted Answer

Personnel psychology focuses on job-related aspects such as recruitment and employee evaluation, while organizational psychology deals with broader issues within organizations, including leadership and motivation.

Question 18

In order for a test to be considered useful, it must provide more information than would be known by
A)the cutting score.
B)the validity coefficient.
C)making a decision without a test.
D)the hit rate alone.

Accepted Answer

A useful test must provide more information than what would be known by making a decision without using the test. This means it should add value beyond what could be inferred or decided based on intuition, experience, or other non-test methods.

Question 19

Which of the following is a problem with tests that purport to measure and predict antisocial behavior by measuring childhood aggression?
A)They have high false positive rates.
B)They lack validity.
C)They have poor reliability.
D)They have high false negative rates.

Accepted Answer

Tests that measure childhood aggression to predict antisocial behavior often have high false positive rates, meaning they may incorrectly identify children as likely to develop antisocial behavior when they will not.

Question 20

When women apply for an entry-level management position, wear perfume, and convey friendliness through nonverbal behaviors,
A)male interviewers are typically distracted and pay less attention to responses.
B)they are negatively viewed, perhaps because they seem manipulative.
C)they are viewed as appropriate management candidates.
D)the salary that is offered will be higher.

Accepted Answer

Women who wear perfume and convey friendliness through nonverbal behaviors may be negatively viewed because these actions can be perceived as manipulative, affecting their perceived suitability for management roles.

Quiz 18: Testing in Industrial and Business Settings

Which of the following is true of decision and utility theory?

A cutting score is

A base rate is

When a false negative rate is high, test makers may

In practice, employment interviews involve a search for

Which of the following is needed for Taylor-Russell tables?

In structured interviews, candidates who work hard at impression management

Researchers who have reviewed the literature on employment interviews almost unanimously recommend

Which type of employment interview has the lowest validity?

The difference between I/O psychology and human resource management is that

When there has been one unfavorable impression in an interview, of the interviewees are rejected; when there have been only positive impressions, are rejected.

If an applicant is selected on the basis of test performance, but fails on the job, the situation is described as a

What kind of score is used when a decision is dichotomous?

The percent of cases in which a test accurately predicts success or failure is known as the

On the basis of a psychological test, an individual is identified as schizophrenic. An interview reveals schizophrenic thinking and a history of psychiatric hospitalization. This case best illustrates a

When the cost of false positives is high, test makers may

psychology is the study and practice of job analysis, job recruitment, employee selection, and the evaluation of employees, while psychology is the study and practice of leadership, job satisfaction, and employee motivation

In order for a test to be considered useful, it must provide more information than would be known by

Which of the following is a problem with tests that purport to measure and predict antisocial behavior by measuring childhood aggression?

When women apply for an entry-level management position, wear perfume, and convey friendliness through nonverbal behaviors,