Since Frank Schmidt and John Hunter published their classic paper in 1977, the concept of validity generalization has become almost universally accepted within the field of I-O psychology. However, there have been reports over the past several months that OFCCP has become increasingly resistant to validity arguments based upon meta-analytic validity generalization and has suggested that local validation studies be carried out when cognitive ability tests are used. In part, OFCCP's concerns seem to center around the fact that the notion of meta-analytic validity generalization does not appear in the Uniform Guidelines, which were drafted in 1978.
In an attempt to make the ATP membership and others in the I-O community aware of this issue, Jim Sharf of Employment Risk Advisors was kind enough to share two documents. The first is a letter that Jim wrote to the EEOC where he argues that the sections of the Uniform Guidelines which address "situational specificity" and "single group validity" are obsolete. The second is an open letter to OFCCP authored by David Copus, a well-known employment law attorney, who provides a very extensive review of the history of validity generalization and argues how the reliance of the Uniform Guidelines on the concept of "situational specificity" is dated and renders them inconsistent with current thinking in the field.
Read more!
In Defense of Validity Generalization...
EEOC Uniform Guidelines to Stay As Is
The EEOC has opted to leave the Uniform Guidelines as they currently are for at least the next three years. Specifically, the EEOC gave notice of its "intent to submit the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP or Uniform Guidelines) without change, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a three-year approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA)."
Additionally, the EEOC is not going to provide additional on the questions which were outlined in 2004 in relation to the definition of an "applicant." Specifically,EEOC does not intend to finalize the five additional Questions and Answers that include clarification of the definition of ‘‘applicant.’’ However, employers still must ensure that they are complying with the requirements of UGESP.
Read more!
Civil Service Testing in China
Here is an interesting article outlining the history of the civil service examination system in China. The author argues that this may be one of China's most important contributions. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, it appears that disgruntled test takers and cheating were of concern at least 1000 years ago just as they are today.
Read more!
Dilbert the Inquisitor
The New York Times takes a humorous look at pre-employment testing and assessment...
Read more!