INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY

BY

DR. HAZEL S. MARTINEZ

What does Industrial Organization typically do?

Selection and Placement
Develop Test
Validate test
Analyze jobs
Training
Identify/ training needs
Conducting training
Evaluate Training effectiveness
Organization Development (OD) (need to change)
Plan and facilitate change (acquisition , merger, )
Analyze structure of organization

What does Industrial Organization typically do?

Performance Measurement
Develop measure of performance
Reduce harmful measure of performance
Measure utility or cost associated with performance
Quality of Work life
Stress reduction
Increase job satisfaction
Changing characteristics of work to increase meaning
Human Factors
Fit work environment to people
Create safe workplace (safety culture)
Industrial Organization - differences between the industrial and organizational side
Industrial

The HR side - Individual differences predict Work behaviors

1. Recruitment
2. Selection
3. Training
4. Performance Appraisal
5. Promotion
6. Transfer
7. Termination

Origins of Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Industrial and organizational psychology is a relatively new idea.
the notion that the principles of science should be applied to work settings has been
around for less than 100 years.
Three important influences on the development of I/O psychology:
Scientific management
Ergonomics, and
The human relations approach to management.

The Advent of Scientific Management

The pioneers in applying scientific methods to the workplace were not psychologists but
engineers (Koppes & Pickren, 2007).
 They focused on scientific management : the managerial philosophy that emphasizes
the worker as a well-oiled machine and the determination of the most efficient methods
for performing any work-related task.
Yet these engineers sounded like psychologists at times.

The Advent of Scientific Management

Among them was Frederick Winslow Taylor, the mastermind of the idea of scientific
management. Taylor (1911) suggested the following guidelines, which have continuing
influence today:
Jobs should be carefully analyzed to identify the optimal way to perform them.
Employees should be hired according to the characteristics associated with success at a
task.
Employees should be trained at the job they will perform.
Employees should be rewarded for productivity to encourage high levels of performance.
The Advent of Scientific Management
Taylors approach was influential in American business, including
clothing
furniture manufacturing
automobile industry
Two other famous trailblazers in the scientific approach to work were Frank (an engineer) and
Lillian (a psychologist) Gilbreth, a married couple best known for the time and motion
studies they conducted in the early twentieth century

FRANK AND LILIAN GILBREATH

FREDERICK TAYLOR
The Advent of Scientific Management
Revolution in Industrial history
Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, invented the assembly line, in which the
workers stayed in one place and an individual laborer assembled one (and only one) part
of a car as it moved along on a mechanized conveyor belt.
Outbreak of World War I in 1914, psychologists, too, played an increasingly large role in the
application of science to the workplace.
The influence of psychologists was felt first in the military, especially in the selection and
training of recruits (Salas, DeRouin, & Gade, 2007).
Ergonomics: Where Psychology Meets Engineering
Today, many occupations involve the interaction of human beings with tools.
Understanding and enhancing the safety and efficiency of the humanmachine interaction is
the central focus of ergonomics,
also called human factors, a field that combines engineering and psychology.
The field of ergonomics is the origin of the term applied psychology, as those who conducted
this work during the war were the first to apply the principles of psychological research to the
workplace setting.

Today, ergonomics specialists represent a range of expertise

Perception
Attention
Cognition (individuals who might have good ideas about the placement of buttons on a control
panel or the preferred coloring of those buttons)
Learning (individuals who might design training programs for the use of machines)
Social and environmental psychologists (individuals who might address issues such as living in a
constrained environment like that of the space shuttle).
Ergonomics and Human factors
Areas of study in which psychologist and engineers
try to produce products and systems that are easy to use and safe
Maximize efficiency
Minimize physical strain
Minimize psychological strains
The Hawthorne Studies and the Human Relations Approach to Management
a series of studies at the Western Electric Hawthorne Works, a plant outside
Chicago, conducted from 1927 to 1932 under the leadership of psychologist and
sociologist Elton Mayo.
In what became known as the Hawthorne studies
The Hawthorne Studies
Workers feelings affect their work behavior
It was a field experiment, demonstrated the value of research
Worker perceptions of reality more important than objective reality
Discovery of the Hawthorne Effect
The Hawthorne Studies and the Human Relations Approach to Management
 Mayo and his colleagues were initially interested in examining how various work
conditions could influence productivity.
(for example, room lighting, humidity, breaks, work hours, and management style)
Workers were randomly assigned to one of two groups.
Control group, the lighting remained constant,
Experimental group a variety of different lighting intensities was
employed.
The results were surprising. Both groups did betterand they
performed increasingly better over time (Roethlisberger & Dickson,
1939).
The Hawthorne Studies
Hawthorne effect, which refers to the tendency of individuals to perform better
simply because of being singled out and made to feel important.
The human relations approach emphasizes the psychological characteristics of
workers and managers, stressing the significance of factors such as
Morale
Attitudes
Values, and
Humane treatment of workers
The Hawthorne Studies and the Human Relations Approach to Management
Human relations approaches to
Management stress
Positive interpersonal relations among co-workers
Teamwork
Leadership
Job attitudes
Social skills of managers.
These methods emphasize that fulfilling work meets other important
human needs beyond purely economic considerations (Latham &
Budworth, 2007).
Research Methods in Industrial Psych
Experimental Methods
Most powerful of all research methods
Cause and effect relationship
Random Assignment of Subjects
Manipulation of Independent Variable(s)
Measurement of Dependent Variable(s)
Correlational Methods:
No manipulation of variables
 Measures naturally occurring association between two or more variables
Cannot inform researcher about cause-effect relationship between variables
Quasi-Experimental Methods:
Use when some aspects of experimentation are possible but not all
More common in I/O psych than in many other areas of psychology
Surveys & Interviews
To ask people their opinion on some topic
conducted by personal interview, phone, fax, internet, mail.
Archival Research
Using previously collected data of records to answer questions
Not being obstrusive and not expensive
Ex. Personal files, company records
Case Studies
Meta-Analysis
a statistical method of reaching conclusions based on previous
research.
Mean effect size a meta analysis statistic that is the average of
the effects sizes for all studies included in the analysis
BRIEF HISTORY OF INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Professor Walter Dill Scott (1903) The Theory of Advertising a book
considered to be the first dealing with Psychology and aspect of work
Hugo Munsterberg The Psychology of Industrial Efficiency
World War 1 marks the emergence of Industrial Psychology
Screening and classifying millions of recruits
A number of Psychologists devised a general intelligence test so that
persons with low intelligence could be identified and eliminated
from the training.
Two test were developed: The army Alpha for the literates and the
arm beta for the non literates
This military experience provided the basis for a dynamic
proliferation of Industrial Psychology.
Businesses and School system and other organizations that required
classifying and screening techniques became aware of the successful
use of tests
BRIEF HISTORY OF INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Frank Gilbreth and Lilian Gilbreth
They were among the first to improve productivity and reduce fatigue by studying the
motions used by workers
Hawthorne Studies
Conducted at the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric, was to determine the effects of
changes in lighting productivity,

Hawthorne Effect - It is the tendency of people to behave differently
when they receive attention because they respond to the demands
of the situation.
BRIEF HISTORY OF INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY
1960s
Characterized by the passage of several major pieces of civil rights legislation. Use of
sensitivity training and T- groups for managers
B.F Skinner Beyond Freedom and Dignity resulted in the increase use of behavior
modification techniques in organizations.
1980s 2000s
Increase use of fairly sophisticated statistical techniques and
methods of analysis. A new interest in the application of cognitive
psychology to industry
Increased interest in the effects of work on family life and leisure
activities
Renewed interest in developing methods to select employees.
(cognitive ability test, personality test, bio data, and structure
interview, TQM, re-engineering, employee empowerment,
downsizing)
Rapid advances in technology (test and survey on the internet,
recruit and screen applicants online, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook.
Elearning and Distance learning.
Employee Selection- Major Consideration and Principles
JOB ANALYSIS
A process to establish and document the job relatedness of employment
procedures such as training, selection, compensation and performance appraisal.
(Pereda, P., Pereda P., 2008)
The foundation for almost all human resource activities.
The process of studying positions, of describing the duties and responsibilities that
go with jobs, and grouping similar positions into job categories.
key inputs or tools for various human resources management activities such as
Recruitment
Performance Appraisal
Compensation survey comparison
Training and Development
Career Planning / Person power Planning - Peter Principle
Job Analysis
Job Analysis captures a wealth of job information, which serves as a guide for variety of uses:
Job Description
Recruitment , selection, placement and employee counseling;
Job Evaluation and salary determination;
Job Hierarchy for promotion and transfer purposes;
Performance standards setting;
 Work procedures review or setting;
Job design and Redesign;
Training need analysis and skill requirements setting/ documentation;
Supervision effectiveness;
Working conditions review and /or correction;
Job control system consisting of an inventory of authorized positions;
Inventory of positions , employees;
Identification of vacant, open, duplicate, expanded and reduced positions
Job Analysis
Job Analysis Program is usually undertaken when;
1. the organization is starting operations
2. A new job is created
3. A job is changed significantly by the nature of operations
4. Technology introduction
5. Restructuring
Job Description describes the following: (Sison, 2003)
The job in terms of its level of duties and tasks or procedures needed to do the
job.
The duties performed, the skills, training, and the experience required, the
responsibilities involved, the conditions under which the job is done and the
relation of the job to the other jobs in the organization.
A detailed and accurate description of the job and not the worker. It would cover
the following:
Job functions or purpose
Major duties performed / Major responsibilities
Performance standards
Percentage of time devoted to each duty
Reporting relationship
Machine and equipment used
Working conditions including possible hazards
Number of persons working on the same job
Job Title
A Job title is important for several reasons:
An accurate title describes the nature of
the job. (Ex. Data entry specialist, personnel assistant )
Aids in recruitment and selection
Provides workers with some forms of identity

Action words to Use in Job Description

Accounts
Acquires
Adapts
Adjusts
Administers
Adopts
Advises
Advocates
Allocates
Allots
Alters
Amuses
Analyzes
Answers
Applies
Appoints
Appraises
Approves
Arbitrates
Arranges
Assembles
Assesses
Assigns
Audits
Authorizes
Awards
Balances
Bargains
Methods of Job Analysis
Questionnaire Method
Checklist Method
Individual Interview (in office)
Observation Interview (in workplace)
Observing Incumbents
Group Interview
Technical Conference/Panel of experts
(Ammerman Technique)
Diary/Systematic Activity Log
Work Participation Method
Critical Incident Technique

Who should participate in job analysis?

Characteristics of employees may influence how they view their job
Competence, race, gender, age, education, etc
Job Analysis
CONDUCTING A JOB ANALYSIS
There are many ways to conduct a job analysis, the goal of most job analyses is to
identify the tasks performed in a job, the conditions under which the tasks are performed, and
the KSAOs needed to perform the tasks .
Conducting a Job Analysis
Step 1: Identify Tasks Performed
Gathering existing information
Interviewing subject matter experts (SMEs)
Observing incumbents
Job participation
Conducting a Job Analysis
Step 2: Write Task Statements
Required elements to a task statement
Action
Object
Optional elements
Where the task is done
How it is done
Why it is done
When it is done
Characteristics of well-written task statements
One action and one object
Appropriate reading level
The statement should make sense by itself
All statements should be written in the same tense
Should include the tools and equipment used to complete the task
Task statements should not be competencies
Task statements should not be policies
What is Wrong with these Task Statements?
Handles customer complaints
Type, files, and distributes correspondence
Utilizes decision-making skills and abilities
In charge of the copy machine
Uses the computer to balance department budget
Responsible for opening and closing the office
Greets visitors
Examines supervisors daily schedule
Oversees the office

Step 3: Rate Task Statements

Tasks can be rated on a variety of scales
Importance
Part-of-the-job
Frequency of performance
Time spent
Relative time spent
Complexity
Criticality
Research shows only two scales are necessary
Frequency
 Importance
Rating Scale
(Task must be included in analysis if its ratings of frequency & importance exceed a critical
threshold)

Step 4 : Determine Essential KSAOs

Once the task that are essential for the proper performance of a job, the next step is to identify
the KSAOs needed to perform the task.
A Knowledge is a body of information needed to perform a task.
A Skill is the proficiency to perform a learned task.
An Ability is a basic capacity for performing a wide range of different tasks, acquiring a
knowledge, or developing a skill.
Other characteristics Include such personal factors as personality, willingness, interest, and
motivation and such tangible factors as license, degrees and years of experience.
Conducting a Job Analysis
Step 4: Determine Essential KSAOs
Job Analysis Data Gathering
Questionnaires An effective way of obtaining job information is to have employees accomplish
well designed and adequately explained Job Analysis Questionnaires later reviewed by their
immediate superiors.
Methods Providing General Information About Worker Activities
1. Position Analysis Questionnaires. (PAQ) is a
evaluates job skill level and basic characteristics of applicants for a
set match of employment opportunity.
The Position analysis questionnaire involves a series of detail
questioning to produce many analysis reports
The Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)
A Structured Worker-Oriented Technique
Position Analysis Questionnaire
Importance of 194 Items rated on 1-5 scale
6 main dimensions
Information input (perceptual & other sources)
Mental processes (reasoning, decision making)
Work output (manual manipulation; coordination; output devices
Relationships with others (communication; supervision; personal contact
Job context physical & psychological working conditions
Other/Miscellaneous (schedule, apparel, method of pay, responsibility)
Easy to use
Standardized
Difficult to read for average employee
Job Analysis Data Gathering
2. Job Elements Inventory. (JEI) an instrument designed as an alternative to the PAQ developed
by Cornelius and Hackel.
The JEI contains 153 items
Easier to read
3. Functional Job Analysis .(FJA) an instrument designed by Fine
 Analyze three functions
Data (information and ideas),
People( clients, customers, and co workers )
Things (machines, tools, and equipment)
Methods Providing Information About Tools and Equipment
4. Job Components Inventory . (JCI) developed by Banks, Jackson, Stanford and Warr .
Initiated in England, consist of more than 400 questions
Tools and equipment;
Perceptual and physical requirements
Mathematical requirement ;
Communication requirements
Decision making and responsibility
5. Job Structure Profile.(JSP) A revised version of the PAQ was developed by Patrick and Moore.
Designed to be used more by the analyst than the workers

6. The Common Metric Quesionnaire (CMQ)

targeted toward both exempt and nonexempt jobs.
It has five sections: (1) Background, (2) Contacts with
People, (3) Decision Making, (4) Physical and
Mechanical Activities, and (5) Work Setting.
7. Fleishman Job Analysis Survey (F-JAS)
The taxonomy includes 52 cognitive, physical,
psychomotor, and sensory abilities that have strong
research support
the FJAS uses level of ability rating scales that specify
level of functioning requirements for jobs.
Functional Job Analysis (FJA)
A Relatively Unstructured Worker-Oriented Technique
Developed for the U.S. Government
A combination of interview & observation of job performance
Attempts to describe what workers do and at what level they engage in it
Used in the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) O*NET describes :
(http://www.occupationalinfo.org/onet/)
Tasks performed
Knowledge required
Skills needed
Abilities
Work activities
Work Context
Interests
Work Values
Crosswalks
Job Analysis Data Gathering
Methods Providing Information About Competencies
8. Occupational Analysis Inventory (OAI)
contains 617 "work elements.".
The major categories of items are five-fold:
 (1) Information Received
(2) Mental Activities
(3) Work Behavior,
(4) Work Goals
(5) Work Context.
Job Analysis Data Gathering
10. Work Profiling System (WPS)
designed to help employers accomplish human resource
functions.
The job analysis is designed to yield reports targeted toward
various human resource functions such as individual
development planning, employee selection, and job description
Two Major Sources of candidates to fill the vacant Positions
Internal Source These are the qualified candidates from the company and within the ranks of
its present employees.
Advantage of boosting the morale of other employees and encouraging them to
perform well. ( employees look forward to a brighter future) Career development
and career mobility opportunities are provided.
(Promotions generate a chain of effect since they lead to vacant positions)
Trigger a positive effect on employees performance.
Less expensive of time and resources. (incumbent employees are already familiar
with the organizational rules, policies and regulations)
Best applicable for supervisory or mid level positions.
Examples: Present employees; Former employees; Previous applicants
External Source The hiring from the outside source is a management option.
No one from within among the next rank of employees can successfully perform
the job
New vacant position requires added skills due to the introduction of new
technology
The culture of conflict among the employees who are vying for a new position.
Recruitment and Selection
Recruitment is the process of search for and securing applicants for the various job positions so
that the right people in the right number can be selected to fill the job positions which arise
from time to time in organization.
The process of SELECTION and PLACEMENT follow sequentially after the recruitment the total
process of recruitment selection and placement can be called the HIRING process.
The need for additional personnel is identified. (Human resource planning)
Review and analyze the manpower requirements
Human resource department will announce the need for manpower.
The recruitment officer must identify the knowledge , skills and abilities in the
vacant position
The reference for the qualification requirements is in the existing job description.
Other Sources of Applicants
There are a lot of sources of applicants from which a recruiter can choose. The following items
are good sources of applicants:
Walk-In Applicants
Referrals
Job Fairs (Government, Non-Government, Schools etc)
Placement offices of Colleges and Universities
the Internet (Jobstreet)
Job postings (streamer, print-ad, tv ad, posters etc)
Methods of Human Resource Recruitment
1. Job Posting every time a position becomes available it is posted in the company bulletin
board for the information of all interested parties.
It should specify and contain the job description
The department where there is a vacancy, salary grade, work schedule
And working conditions
Promoting or transferring employees from within offers the following advantages:
It creates an opening for a lower easy to fill position
The morale of the employee is boosted / Hidden talent may be uncovered and utilized.
It saves considerable time and money.
Employees are already familiar with company policy and the job itself and therefore less
adjustment is necessary.
2. The Word of Mouth System- It is one of the least expensive recruitment systems.
As soon as people learn that theres a job opening, the word spread around.
The Chinese company would prefer an applicant who is recommended by
somebody who is loyal and tested and has worked with them for a number of
years
The following precautionary measures should be observed:
Regionalism may dominate over the company employees
Pulling the strings and the padrino system may prevail in the hiring of employees
2. Advertising Media A popular and effective means of soliciting applicants is advertising
through media, newspapers, magazines, radio or television.
The ad must contain the duties and responsibilities of the position.
Sunday is the best day of the week to put an ad,
The time of the year could also affect the applicants response. Not many
applicants would be available in the Months of November and December due to
th
the 13 month pay and other company incentives.
What are Blind Ads?
These are ads that do not reveal the identity of the company, instead they give a box
number where the resume or pertinent papers will be forwarded.

3. Walk Ins and Unsolicited Applicants

A possible source of outstanding employees
 Most often the application letters or resume are put in the waste basket or at
times put in file.
4. Campus or University Recruitment many organization send recruiters to college to answer
questions about themselves and interview students for available positions.
6. Job Fair and Open House
organizational representatives of the company gather and interview
several applicants over a period of one or two days in some specified
fields.
Some job fairs are conducted during weekend at town centers or any
convenient place in the town or city.
7. Government Agencies- An employment service operated by a state or local government,
designed to match applicants with job openings.
Public Employment and Services Officer arm of DOLE compiles applications for referral to the
different companies and conducts job fairs
9. Radio and Television- used as mediums for man power recruitment
The coverage of advertisement is of great magnitude, more qualified applicants can be reached.
10. The Internet company profiles and job placements could eventually come into the
internet.
The following advantages are:
Application letters or resumes could immediately be sent to the company.
Immediate answer could be available through email
Immediate needs of the company on manpower requirements could be answered
in a short time.
They are less costly and get immediate response.

Executive search firms- Employment agencies also called headhunters that specialize in
placing applicants in high paying jobs.

SELECTION- defined as the process of determining from among the applicants who can meet
the job requirements and can be offered the vacant position in the organization.
Recruitment
The different departments of the organization make personal requisitions to the HRD on their
manpower requirements through PERSONNEL REQUIREMENT FORM (PRF) duly approved by
the management concerned.
The PRF specifies the following:
The positions and the number required.
The job specifications
What is required to do the job (tool consolidates the necessary employee
qualifications identified in the job analysis
Knowledge, abilities, skills or licenses
The personal qualities needed for a worker to do the job successfully.
Recruitment
The HRD determines the selection procedure on how to get the most qualified
applicants. Managers and top executives must approve these standard operating
procedures.
The following stages may be implemented
Recruitment Selection Procedure
Selection Procedure on how to get the most qualified Applicants
Stage 1 - Establishing selection procedure
Successful employee selection clears understanding of a jobs components.
Stage 2 - Identifying and choosing selection criteria, predictors and instruments to be used
Weighting job duties can help the employer assess the qualifications of competing
candidates
Skill, knowledge and ability are rated according to its importance to the job.

Stage 3 - Gather and Evaluate information about applicants

Applicants skills can be evaluated through applications, interviews, tests,
reference check, letters of recommendation and physicals.
Stage 4 Make communication decisions whether to select or reject
Following a thorough selection process enables you to base a decision on
substantial data rather intuition alone
Unfortunately too often, candidates who are selected for a position never hear
from the employer. Other may find out a position was filled when they see the
new employee.

Who Makes the Decision?
The HRD is a staff department and has a functional authority to assist line
managers in all related personnel functions.
The final decision to hire usually is left up to operating department executives
It is the functional authority of the HRD to screen the applicants and to submit the
names of those who passed the initial screening to the operating department for
its final decision on whom to select and finally to hire for the job.
Selection and Job Matching
Selection tries to match the personal qualities of the applicants with the job
requirements.
Based upon an evaluation of the applicants strengths and weaknesses.
We cannot separate the person from his personal characteristics
Selection Process
Typical Corrected Validity Coefficients for Selection Techniques
Selection Process
1. PRELIMINARY SCREENING
The first step in the assessment of an applicant for the jobs is the initial interview
or preliminary screening
Deals with the obvious factors such as voice, dress, physical appearance, personal
grooming, educational background, professional training and experience
The following personal traits and qualities are the most important things to consider in the
preliminary screening process:
Aptitude and interest indicate our natural abilities , capacity or learning attitude and
desires to do certain jobs
Attitudes and needs indicate an applicants frame of mind, emotional and mental
maturity, sense of responsibility and authority and future motivation.
Analytical and manipulative abilities indicate our thinking process, intelligence
level and ability to use knowledge effectively in any assigned task.
Skills and technical abilities indicate ability to perform specific operations and
technical aspects of the job.
Health , energy and stamina indicate physical ability to perform the assigned task
(especially those involving manual and managerial duties)
The persons value system provides a clue to motivation, goals, objectives and
work values and perseverance.
Types of Interview
Structured interview- follow a set of procedures and the interviewer set the lead.
Job related questions
All applicants are asked the same questions
There is a standardized scoring key to evaluate each answer.
Unstructured Interview provides no specific reference and the applicant is given a free hand
in talking about himself and the interviewer makes an assessment.
Style of Interview
One on one interview involve one interviewer interviewing one applicant
Serial Interview involve series of single interview
Panel or Round table interview usually done for managerial and supervisory interview, have
Patterned (Structured) Interviews
Interviewer follows a predetermined series of questions
There is a written rating of each answer immediately after question
Allows systematic comparison of applicants
Keeps interview on job related issues
Providing interviewer with samples of good & bad answers allows more objective scoring
May include critical incident questions like those used in situational interviews
Types of Interview
Advantages of Structured Interview
More on job relatedness and standardized scoring
Questions are based on job analysis
Tap job knowledge, job skills, applied mental skills and interpersonal skills

Problems with Unstructured Interview

Poor Intuitive Ability - Interviewers base their hiring decision on gut reactions
Lack of job relatedness - Not being job related; Why should I hire you; What do you see
yourself five years from now? ; What do you really want to do in life?
Primacy Effects or first impression information presented early in an interview carries more
weight than information presented later.
Contrast Effect The performance of one applicant affects the perception of the performance
of the next applicant.
Interviewer Applicants similarities applicants will receive a higher score if she or he is
similar to the interviewer in terms of personality, attitude, and race.
Interviewee Appearance- attractiveness bias occurred for men and women.
Non verbal communication Appropriate non verbal communication is highly correlated with
interview scores.
Types of Interview questions
1. Clarifier allow the interviewer to clarify information in the resume, cover letter and
application, fill in gaps and obtain other necessary information.
I noticed a three- year gap between two of your jobs. Could you tell me about that?
2. Disqualifiers - Questions in which a wrong answer will disqualify a person from further
consideration
Areas - Work schedules (overtime, days of work); Start dates
Criminal/driving/credit history
Willingness to perform tasks
Minimum qualifications (e.g., age, licenses, degrees, experience)
Previous work problems
Being fired (frequency, reason)
Job hopping
3. Past focus (behavioral description) - Focus on what the applicant has done rather than
what they can do
Best predictor of future performance is past performance
Past situation must be similar to future situation
Can tap directly related experience (e.g., bank teller) or experience with similar
skill set (e.g., customer service)
Can tap Experience, Knowledge, Skill
Probably not ideal for entry-level job
4. Skill or knowledge focus
Definitional questions
What is a lathe?
Knowledge questions
At what age does an applicant become a protected class?
Causal questions
What would happen if you used a knife that did not have a sharp blade?
Situational questions
What would you do if an Excel formula resulted in an incorrect calculation?
Explanatory questions
Why do you unplug a printer before working on it?
5. Future focus (situational) Also called situational questions
Can tap an applicants
Knowledge
 Problem-solving ability
Experience
Common sense
Be careful about using situations that
Require training/experience if the position is entry level
Require knowledge of company knowledge, policy, or philosophy
Are easy to fake
Top 10 Situational Interview Questions
Describe the ideal working environment
Share with me an idea or improvement you implemented that made a difference.
Describe the toughest challenge you ever faced and how you worked through it
Tell me about a time when you had to stick by a decision you made even though it made
you unpopular.
Discuss a situation during the past year in which you had to deal with an upset customer
or coworker.
Describe the most difficult boss you worked for and how you dealt with them.
What would you do if the priorities on a major project you were working on were
suddenly changed
Tell me about a time when your work was criticized.
Tell me about a time you went above and beyond the call of duty to get something done
or resolve a problem.
Give me an example of an important goal you set and describe your progress in reaching
that goal.
6. Organizational fit focus
Designed to tap how well the applicant will fit with the
Organization
Department
Supervisor
Coworker
These are the most difficult types of questions
Care must be taken so that characteristics such as age, sex, or race are not considered
Guide in Conducting Interview
Interviews are useful for assessing such personal characteristics as:
Interpersonal skills
Practical intelligence
Social interaction
Communication skills
In addition to assessment, the interview can be used for
Answer applicants questions
Assessing complex issues
Selling the organization
Negotiating terms and conditions
Guide in Conducting Interview
Steps in Conducting an Interview
1. Put the applicant at ease
2. Explain benefit of the interview
3. Review Family background
4. Trace Education history
5. Trace Job history
6. Explore plans/goals for his/her future
7. Describe the job, sell the organization and answer applicants questions.
8. Close the interview
2. Application Form
THE APPLICATION FORM
By careful screening, the employees information may be found closely related with success on
the job.
Education
the school where courses were attended
employment data
years of experience in a particular job
salary received
membership in organizations
Graphology- the art and science of the analysis of the individuals traits through his
handwriting. It can reveal the level of intelligence, emotional stability, imagination and ability to
work with other as well as discover talents and capabilities.
The Biodata Approach
(Weighted Application Blanks (WABs)
3. Testing and Evaluation Results
Testing is commonly associated with the prediction and selection of subsequent
performance on the job.
Tests are still the commonly used instruments for determining the qualifications
and talents of the applicant for a particular job.
Psychological Test
What is a Psychological Test?
A measuring device , a yardstick applied in consistent and systematic fashion to measure a
sample of behavior
Two purpose of Psychological Test
Selection emphasis is on finding a person with the right qualification for a particular job.
Placement emphasis is on the individual. To find the right kind of job for a particular person.

Types of Psychological Test

Cognitive Ability
Better known as intelligence test
The Wonderlic Personnel Test
Otis self Administering Test of Mental Ability
Culture Fair Intelligence Test
 Ravens Progressive matrices Test
Tabular Description

Interest
It tries to predict the success in the job if the persons interest and
the job are properly matched.
Greater value in vocational guidance and counseling than in
industrial personnel selection.
Strong Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII)
Kuder Occupational Interest Survey
Thrustone Interest Schedule
Occupational Aptitude Survey and Interest
Aptitudes
It measure the persons capacity to learn a given job, provided there is adequate
training.
Type of test usually administered for mechanical and clerical positions.
Occupational Aptitude Survey and Interest (OASIS)- Aptitude
Differential Aptitude test
Tabular Description

Personality Test
It is considered as an important instrument to test the personality of the applicant
especially for supervisory and managerial position.
Emotional maturity influences the ability to withstand stress and strain, to be
objective and gain the respect and cooperation of others in organization.
Examples
16 Personality factor Questionnaires (16PF)
Comrey personality Scales
Edward Personal Preference Schedule
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
California Test of Personality
The Hand Test
House Tree Person
Sach Sentence Completion
Types of Selection Tests
Individual vs. Group Tests
Speed vs. Power Tests
Paper & Pencil vs. Performance Tests
Aptitude Tests
Stanford-Binet, WAIS
Wonderlic Personnel Test
Otis Self-Administering Test of Mental Ability
Tests of Specific Cognitive Abilities
 Westman Mechanical Reasoning Test
The Short Test of Clerical Ability
The Differential Aptitude Test
Minnesota Spatial Relations
Minnesota Mechanical Assembly Test
MacQuarrie Test of Mechanical Ability
Spatial Relations Test Question
Tests of Physical Performance & Motor Abilities
Purdue Pegboard
Crawford Small Parts Dexterity Test
Minnesota Rate of Manipulation Test
Physical Agility Tests
Strength tests
Manual Speed & Dexterity Tests
Achievement Tests (Aptitude + Training; language ability would be an example)
Tests of Sensory Abilities
Personality Tests
Global, Objective: MMPI-2, CPI
Projective: Rorschach
Single Trait:
The Five Factor Model (The Big 5)
Tests for Color-Blindness
The Big Five Personality Traits
How The Big Five Traits Predict Behavior At Work
Vocational Preference Inventories
Strong Interest Inventory (SII)
Kuder Preference Record
Forced choice of 3 activities: most liked, least liked, middle
Hollands Environment-Type Theory (VPI)
Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI)
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
There are Four Basic Functions
Two Kinds of Perception
Sensing (S) Relies on observation, memory for detail
Intuition (N) Relies on insight, deeper meaning, more imaginative
Two Kinds of Judgment
Thinking (T) Logic, Objectivity, cause-effect, seeks rational order
Feeling (F) Value driven, subjective, seeks harmony, sensitive to people rather
than technical details of problem
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
There are Four Basic Attitudes toward Life
Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I)
 Action-oriented & sociable vs. focused on inner ideas, thoughtful detachment,
solitude/privacy
Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)
Spontaneous & Curious vs. Planning & Organizing
Some Other (Non-Test) Predictors
Interviews
Letters of Reference & Recommendation
Biodata (Weighted Application Blanks (WAB))
Academic/Scholastic Success & Achievement
Assessment Centers
4. IN DEPTH INTERVIEW
After passing all test required , The applicant is now ready to Formally enter into the selection
process
Some types of significant information may surface during the interview that may not be
available from other sources
5. EVALUATING REFERENCES
References are important in finally assessing the applicants worth for the position.
Reference Check The process of confirming the accuracy of resume and job application
information
Reference- The expression of an opinion either orally or through a written checklist, regarding
an applicants ability, pervious performance, work habits , character, or potential for future
success.
Policy Guidelines in Reference Checking:
The reference should be used to develop the integrity of the whole selection process
For very important confidential positions, reference should be conducted on a face- to face
basis, since the applicant may reluctant to divulge significant information.
Telephone inquiries should be use if face to face is impractical
Inquiries should discover
Letters of Reference/Recommendation
6. PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS
The Applicants undergo physical examination at the company clinic or an
authorized hospital to determine the physical fitness of the applicant for the job.
Medical Examinations are important for the following reasons:
To screen out those physically incapable of doing the job
To prevent employment of those with high incidence of absenteeism due to illness
or accidents
To prevents hiring of people with communicable diseases or who are influenced by
drugs
Ward off unwarranted claims with workers compensation laws, SSS, medical care
and suits for damages.
7. MAKING THE HIRING DECISION
Top Down selection Selecting Applicants in straight rank order of their test
scores.
 The Rule of three the names of the top three applicants are given to a hiring
authority who can then select any of the three.
Passing score- means of reducing the impact and increasing flexibility
How can Test Scores be Used to Make Hiring Decisions?
Unadjusted Top-down Selection
Passing Scores
Cutoffs
The Multiple Hurdle Approach
Banding
Unadjusted Top-Down Selection
Who will perform the best?
(Can be tweaked with a Rule of 3 or Rule of 5)
Unadjusted Top-Down Selection
Advantages
Possibly higher quality of selected applicants
Objective decision making
Disadvantages
Less flexibility in decision making
Adverse impact = less workforce diversity
Ignores measurement error
Assumes test score accounts for all the variance in performance (Zedeck, Cascio, Goldstein &
Outtz, 1996).
The Passing Scores Approach
Who will perform at an acceptable level?
A passing score is a point in a distribution of scores that distinguishes acceptable from
unacceptable performance (Kane, 1994).
Uniform Guidelines (1978) Section 5H:
Passing scores should be reasonable and consistent with expectations of acceptable
proficiency
Passing Scores
Advantages
Increased flexibility in decision making
Less adverse impact against protected groups
Disadvantages
Lowered utility
Can be difficult to set
Cutoffs
All applicants take multiple tests
Tests are graded on a pass-fail basis
To be hired, the applicant must pass all of the tests
The Multiple Hurdle Approach
There is a series of successive tests to screen applicants
Applicant takes one test at a time, starting with the least expensive
Applicant is rejected as soon as a test is failed
Banding
Hire anyone within a hiring band.
The width of the band is based upon the standard error of the test and other statistical criteria.
Banding can help to achieve certain hiring goals such as improving diversity.
Advantages of Banding
Helps reduce adverse impact, increase workforce diversity, and increase perceptions of fairness
Allows you to consider secondary criteria relevant to the job
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE SELECTION TECHNIQUES
Effective selection techniques have four characteristics :
1. Reliable
2. Valid
3. Cost Effiecient
4. Fair and Legally defensible
Psychological Test
Characteristics of a Psychological Test
Standardization- the consistency or uniformity of the conditions and procedures for
administering a test
Objectivity- refers primarily to the scoring of the test results.
Norms frame of reference
Reliability the consistency of response on a test.
Validity- it measure what its purports to measure.
1. RELIABILITY
The extent to which a score from a selection measure is stable and free from error.
Test reliability is determined in four ways:
a) Test Retest Reliability The extent which repeated administration of the
same test will achieve similar results.
b) Alternate Forms Reliability - The extent to which two forms of the same test
are similar.
Cont. Test Reliability
c.) Internal Reliabilty- The extent to which similar items are answered in similar ways is
referred to as internal consistency.
The longer the test, The higher its internal consistency.
Item Consistency One factor that affect the internal reliability of a test. The
more homogenous the items , the higher the internal consistency.
d.) Scorer Reliability - The extent to which two people scoring a test agree on the test score, or
the extent to which a test is scored correctly.
A test or inventory can have homogenous items and yield heterogeneous scores and still not
be reliable if the person scoring the test makes mistakes.
Reliability
The extent to which a score from a test is consistent and free from errors of measurement
Methods of Determining Reliability
Test-retest (temporal stability)
Alternate/Parallel forms (form stability)
Internal reliability (item stability)
 Scorer reliability
Test-Retest Reliability
Measures temporal stability
Administration
Same applicants
Same test
Two testing periods
Scores at time one are correlated with scores at time two
Correlation should be above .70
Alternate Forms Reliability
Scoring
Scores from the first form of test are correlated with scores from the second form
If the scores are highly correlated, the test has form stability
Internal Reliability
Defines measurement error strictly in terms of consistency or inconsistency in the content of
the test.
With this form of reliability the test is administered only once and item stability is assessed.
Interrater Reliability
Used when human judgment of performance is involved in the selection process
Refers to the degree of agreement between 2 or more raters

Methods used to determine internal consistency

Split half Method A form of internal reliability in which the consistency of item responses is
determined by comparing scores on half of the items with scores on the other half of the items.
Cronbachs Coefficient Alpha A statistics used to determine internal reliability of test that
use interval or ratio scales.
Kuder- Richardson Formula 20 (K-R 20) A statistic used to determine internal reliability of test
that use items with dichotomous answer ( yes/no, true / false).
Determining Internal Reliability
Split-Half method (most common)
Test items are divided into two equal parts
Scores for the two parts are correlated to get a measure of internal reliability.
Spearman-Brown prophecy formula adjusts the correlation coefficient:
(2 x split half reliability) (1 + split-half reliability)
Common Methods for Correlating Split-half Methods
Cronbachs Coefficient Alpha
Used with ratio or interval data.
Kuder-Richardson Formula
Used for test with dichotomous items (yes-no true-false)
2. VALIDITY
The Degree to which inferences from scores on tests or assessments are justified by the
evidence .
A test must be valid to be useful, But just because a test is reliable does not mean
it is valid.
Reliability and validity are not the same but they are related.
Test Validity
Criterion Validity
Content Validity
Construct validity
Face Validity
Criterion Validity
Criterion validity refers to the extent to which a test score is related to some measure of job
performance called a criterion
Established using one of the following research designs:
Concurrent Validity (Known-Group Method)
Predictive Validity (Follow-up Method)
Validity Generalization
Concurrent Validity
Uses current employees
Range restriction can be a problem
Predictive Validity
Correlates test scores with future behavior (The Follow-Up Method)
Reduces the problem of range restriction
May not be practical
Validity Generalization
Validity Generalization is the extent to which a test found valid for a job in one location is valid
for the same job in a different location
The key to establishing validity generalization is meta-analysis and job analysis
Content Validity
The extent to which test items sample the content that they are supposed to measure
In industry the appropriate content of a test of test battery is determined by a job analysis
Construct Validity
The extent to which a test actually measures the construct that it purports to measure
Is concerned with inferences about test scores
Determined by correlating scores on a test with scores from other test
Face Validity
The extent to which a test appears to be job related
Reduces the chance of legal challenge
Increasing face validity causes people to take the test more seriously
Standardization and Norming
Standardized Tests: Uniformly administered to all subjects
Norms: Scores must be ordered along a scale on which passing/critical scores are empirically
determined.
Five common strategies to investigate the validity of scores on a test :
Content Validity
The extent to which test items sample the content that they are supposed to
measure.
The test will not be content valid because it requires knowledge that is outside of
the appropriate domains.
Criterion Validity
The extent to which a test score is related to some measure of job performance
Construct Validity
The extent to which a test actually measures the construct that it purports to
measure,

Five common strategies to investigate the validity of scores on a test :

Face Validity
The extent to which a test appear to be job related
Barnum statements statements so general that they can be true of almost
everyone.
Known Group
Test scores from two contrasting groups known to differ on a construct are compared

Emotional and Motivational side of work - How do people respond to work?

Design