Big research update

It's been a while since I provided a research update, so let's take a look at some recent highlights:

The March 2017 issue of the International Journal of Selection and Assessment (IJSA) (free right now!):

•  Some support for individual psychological assessment in a sample of middle- and senior-level civil service managers in the UK
• Concerns about personality measures that are non-contextualized (i.e., not tailored to the job)
• A study of the personality traits of high potentials (conscientiousness came out #1)
• Support for the equivalence of GMA tests on multiple devices, including mobile

The June IJSA:

• A fascinating twin study that found support for a strong relationship between counterproductive work behaviors in personal life and work.
• Applicants higher in conscientiousness and emotional stability may be more likely to re-test and improve their GMA scores
• A study of undergrads suggesting that Big 5 score results from internet-based tests and in-person tests are equivalent
• You may be able to decrease the number of candidates that withdraw from selection by engaging them more fully and ensuring your processes are fair
• Other-reports of personality appear to be fakable, but less so than self-reports

Vol 2(1) of Personnel Assessment and Decisions:

• Trusting, intelligent raters may be more able to pick up on impression management during interviews
• A study using the limited data available suggests applicants prefer in-person over technology-mediated interviews; interview ratings were also lower. Beware varying interview mode across applicants!
• A study of unproctored internet cognitive ability tests suggests cheating is common, and the researchers strongly suggest implementing technological precautions
• Hiring managers may resist standardized testing in part because they feel it reduces their usefulness/impact
• Free personality test items that can be used and mapped to the PPRF, a personality-based job analysis tool

April Psychological Bulletin:

• A meta-analysis showing that reaction time measures can be useful in detecting deception, but are themselves susceptible to counter-measures

March Journal of Applied Psychology:

•  A review of 100 years of selection and recruitment research in this journal

May Journal of Applied Psychology:

• A study of a large group of applicants suggests that recruiting candidates earlier (e.g., high school), and with more diagnostic methods, can influence their investment in their career and make them better candidates
• Using several computer simulations, researchers found that incumbent-based estimates of range restriction may be downwardly biasing criterion-related validity values, and can produce evidence of differential validity were none exists

March Journal of Organizational Behavior:

• The Big 5 factors of neuroticism, conscientiousness, and agreeableness may prevent supervisors from turning frustration into abusive supervision

May Journal of Organizational Behavior:

• Big age differences between subordinates and supervisors can negatively impact firm performance—if they're discussed

June Journal of Business and Psychology:

• Is the KSAO of communicating via computer just another version of face-to-face communication? According to this study, they are distinct.
• Do millennials have a worse work ethic than older employees? It appears not based on this meta-analysis

That's it for now!