S&F Personalpsychologie

Based on: Schuler, H. [1998] | Psychologische Personalauswahl | Göttingen: Hogrefe

Aptitude assessment | A systematic investigation of the probability of success (e. g. in a job) by comparing the requirements of the job with the individual characteristics as exhibited by a specific person.

Assessment center | A method for assessing aptitude and performance; applied to a group of participants by trained assessors using various aptitude diagnostic processes in order to obtain information about applicants' abilities or development potential.

Assessment of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualifications
(KSAO) | An assessment that refers to general or future requirements. Also frequently refers to a person's development potential. Used in personnel selection, to assess training needs, or to substantiate promotions.

Biographical approach (recording of previous achievements and experiences) | This assessment approach is used to describe the principle of predicting the candidate's future performance on the job on the basis of his or her past achievements and experiences.

Cognitive ability | 'Cognition' is a generic term describing the process and results of information processing (perception, conceptualization, problem solving, etc.); the term is frequently used in psychological assessment as a synonym for 'intelligence'.

Computerized aptitude assessment | The use of computers and IT for designing, implementing and evaluating tests and simulations (work samples).

Construct | This is a term used in psychological assessment to cover concepts which integrate existing knowledge about certain contexts, usually in the form of personality or competency constructs.

Construct validity | Experimental research makes a statement about the psychological significance and quality of measurement regarding a diagnostic test. Usually, comparisons are made with other indicators and methods of measurement (e. g. an investigation is made into the relation between two different intelligence test methods. As both methods measure the same construct, the correlation coefficient between the two should be very large.)

Correlation coefficient | A measured value for the degree of the relation between two sets of data. The correlation coefficient r varies between -1 and 1. Positive correlations (between 0 and 1) indicate that high values in one set of data (e. g. the numerical result in a selection test) are related to high values in another set of data (e. g. an indicator for job success).

Criterion | In assessment and performance appraisal, this term is taken as an indicator for job success or as an aspect of job success. Criteria are applied as test parameters for the validity of a predictor (e. g. of a selection test).

Factor analysis | Factor analysis is a multi-variate statistical process that relates a multitude of variables to common basic dimensions based on their mutual correlative relationships.

Fairness | Forming part of psychological assessment, fairness concerns the equality of opportunity for members of different (e. g. ethnic) groups during personnel selection, using aptitude diagnostics processes.

Feedback | As part of psychological assessment, feedback can be defined as an interview held with the applicant about his or her performance in an assessment process which may also have examined professional development potential.

Generalizability | Generalizability describes whether the results of individual studies and investigation samples can be applied to other studies and investigation samples. As part of meta-analysis (validity generalization) it makes a statement about the sample independence of the validity of a selection process.

Integrity | In psychological assessment: A personality construct measuring the tendency towards counterproductive behavior at the workplace (i.e. deviant behavior, periods of absence, abuse of work materials, etc.).

Intelligence | Intelligence is a generic term for various cognitive abilities. It is classified into different components, depending on the intelligence theory (e. g. in his work "The Berlin Model of Intelligence", A.O. Jäger lists: cognitive speed, memory, creativity, and reasoning to process verbal, numerical and figural material). General features of all intelligence definitions include: quality of solution and speed in resolving completely new (i.e. non-routine) tasks, also frequently defined as 'the ability to learn'.

Intelligence test | A test or test battery developed according to the principles of psychometric test theories. It assesses and tests a person's cognitive performance.

Interview, structured | An interview which is guided by questions (used e. g. for selecting applicants) and which is conducted in a standardized, predefined sequence of questions (or at least topics).

Job analysis | Determination of the personality characteristics required for successful job performance (knowledge, skills, and abilities).

Meta-analysis | A quantitative summary of several individual studies examining the same question. The purpose is to obtain statistical confirmation of results and conclusions, e. g. for the generalization of statements.

Moderator variable | In psychological assessment: a factor influencing the validity of a selection process (e. g. professional group, demographic characteristics, previous knowledge).

Multimodality | The principle of (diagnostic) measurement using several assessment approaches. All three assessment approaches are combined - the simulation approach, the biographical approach and the trait approach. The Multimodal Interview MMI® brings these three diagnostic approaches together in a single instrument.

Norming | To be able to interpret a person's results in a selection or assessment test, the selection or assessment test must first be applied to a norming sample. The psychological norm represents the performance distribution in the norming sample that is calculated. Comparison values are then calculated from the mean value and standard deviation of the norming sample.

Norming sample | A sample used to standardize a test. The norming sample should consist of a sufficiently large random sample taken from the target population. For example: if you wish to norm an achievement motivation test comparing the achievement motivation of an individual to the achievement motivation of the population of German managers, you make a random selection of German managers your norming sample.

Objectivity | This describes the degree to which the diagnosis is independent of the investigator (e. g. the interviewer).

Performance appraisal | In personnel psychology, this term is used for the evaluation of the performance of an employee or a group measuring their contributions to the goals of the organization by reference to traits, behavior and results.

Performance criteria | The indicators of the global construct 'performance'; usually only of relevance when several individual aspects are combined. Examples of performance criteria e. g. for a sales-related activity, are: the number and value of sales closed, the record quality of the individual's own work, willingness to cooperate in team, etc.

Personality test | A standardized diagnostic instrument (test) that records non-cognitive traits (e. g. achievement motivation, conscientiousness or interests) as clearly defined dimensions or factors.

Personality theory | A description and explanation of essential psychological traits and of their structures and interrelationships.

Personnel selection | A term used in assessment: 1. selection of people for jobs, tasks 2. personnel development programs based on psychological assessment methodology.

Predictive validity | The accuracy of the prediction of a criterion value, based on a predictor value.

Predictor | The term used to describe one or several variables (e. g. combined value of several selection tools) which predict a criterion (e. g. job performance).

Psychological assessment | The theory of the correct implementation of aptitude assessment. Interrelationships between personality characteristics and criteria for job success are measured.

Psychometric test theory | A branch of measurement theory. It deals with the quality of the measurement of personality characteristics and interpersonal differences.

Reliability | The degree of accuracy with which results are measured. The 'retest reliability' of a test is particularly important, i.e. the degree to which a person's performance is the same when the same (selection) test is repeated.

Selection effect | Effect created by putting a person in a community (e. g. an organization) on the basis of traits and which can be seen as the difference between individuals or groups (e. g. in competencies or performance). To give a practical example: only university graduates are accepted as job applicants. If an intelligence test intended for the total population is used, the selection effect will result in the applicants scoring higher average test values than the total population, i.e. most applicants will score above-average test results.

Simulation | In psychological assessment, this is the simulation of a job or part of a job, corresponding to requirements (the term is frequently used as a synonym for 'Work sample').

Simulation approach | Job situations directly related to requirements are imitated, in which the applicant is required to take action. A classic example is the work sample.

Social competence | A generic term, of varied usage, meaning competencies and skills related to interaction, e. g. social judgment, empathy, and the repertoire of communicative behavior. In the professional context, frequently understood as the ability to act in a way appropriate to the situation and to achieve a specific result, appropriate to meeting interaction requirements related to a specific activity (e. g. role flexibility, adaptability, conflict resolution); in group work conditions, the term is occasionally used as a synonym for the term 'team player' (which is just as imprecise in its application).

Social validity | The quality of experiencing a selection situation as a socially acceptable situation, essentially influenced by the following situation characteristics:
1. Information (e. g. How is the applicant informed of the selection process and procedure?)
2. Transparency (e. g. Does the applicant perceive the questions asked and tasks set during the process as being clearly related to the job for which he/she has applied?)
3. Participation / Control (e. g. To what extent can the applicant influence the outcome of a process by his/her conscious behavior?)
4. Communication of the decision / Feedback (e. g. Do applicants receive adequate feedback about their results and their performance?)

Test | A standardized instrument for measuring individual behavioral characteristics, to enable conclusions to be drawn with regard to traits or behavior in other situations.

Trait approach (recording personality characteristics) | This assessment approach takes into account the fact that there are basic personality traits (e. g. intelligence or achievement motivation) which have a demonstrable causal link with professional success. Integrity tests are an example of a selection process designed according to this approach.

Validation | Methods or strategies used for checking the validity of a predictor. Example: the investigation into the link between a personality test and job success.

Validity | Appropriateness (also: applicability or quality) of the conclusions drawn from diagnostic values.

Validity generalization | The most common method of meta-analysis used in personnel psychology, for calculating the average value and generalizability of validity coefficients.

Validity coefficient | Measured value for the validity of a predictor; often specified in the form of a correlation coefficient.

Work sample | A selection tool in the form of a standardized task which maps job behavior relevant to success. A sample of actual behavior is specified which is both equal in validity and recognition in content.