Development of physical ability tests for police officers: a construct validation approach

Article Abstract:

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 jobs. 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. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Physiological aspects, Police, Police officers

---

The relative power of training evaluation designs under different cost configurations

Article Abstract:

After noting that the statistical power of training evaluation designs is a complex function of sample size, the reliability of the dependent measure, the correlation between pre- and posttest measures, and whether a randomized pretest-posttest or randomized posttest-only design is used, we show that the costs of conducting an evaluation are important considerations that also affect the relative power of the designs. Specifically, subject costs, administrative costs, and item development costs are different components that can absorb resources when training evaluations are conducted. When total cost resources are fixed, these separate costs affect the relative power of pretest-posttest and posttest-only designs differently, and the posttest-only design may be more preferred design under many different conditions. In other words, a variety of design and parameter tradeoffs affect power when total costs are fixed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Evaluation, Employee performance appraisals, Employee training, Performance appraisals

---

The search for predictors with high validity and low adverse impact: compatible or incompatible goals?

Article Abstract:

Many researchers and personnel selection specialists appear to believe that validity must often be sacrificed to reduce adverse impact. This belief may be bolstered by an interpretation of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1978) that alternative selection methods should be sought in an effort to reduce adverse impact as long as the accompanying reduction in validity is not too large. The authors show that, contrary to popular belief, within the universe of fair tests (as defined by T.A. Cleary, 1968), the most valid selection method will necessarily produce the least adverse impact. Although a less valid selection method can have less adverse impact than the most valid fair method, such an alternative necessarily fails to meet Cleary's fairness criterion. Thus, for fair tests, maximizing validity also minimizes adverse impact. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Examinations, Test validity, Employee selection, Ranking and selection (Statistics)

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Improving the reliability of eyewitness identification: lineup construction and presentation. Improving the reliability of eyewitness identification: putting context into context
• Abstracts: Measurement of consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence. The effect of plausible and exaggerated reference prices on consumer perceptions and price search
• Abstracts: Validity generalization and hypothetical reliability distributions: a test of the Schmidt-Hunter procedure. A note on the sampling variance of the mean uncorrected correlation in meta-analysis and validity generalization

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.