Multiple Choice Questions
1. If you are evaluating the usefulness of a given predictor in predicting job success, and you are interested in the value the predictor adds to the prediction of job success, you want to know the predictor's ________.
A. validity coefficient
B. practical significance
C. sign
D. statistical significance
2. When HR specialists state that a new predictor "adds value" to the prediction of job success, they mean that _____.
A. the predictor provides economic benefit to prediction
B. the predictor has a high validity coefficient
C. the predictor adds to the prediction of job success over and beyond the forecasting powers of current predictors
D. the predictor is highly correlated with other predictors, thus increasing efficiency
3. A significance level of p<0.05 in a validity study means _________.
A. that there are fewer than 5 chances in 100 of concluding there is a relationship in the population of job applicants, when in fact, there is not
B. that there are 5 chances in 100 of concluding that there is not a relationship in the population of job applicants, when in fact, there is
C. that the practical significance of the observed relationship is very low
D. that there are fewer than 5 chances in 100 that a predictor has adverse impact
4. Validity refers to __________.
A. the number of individuals hired by a predictor
B. the number of individuals hired divided by the number of applicants
C. the relationship between predictor and criterion scores
D. the inverse of the adverse impact ratio
5. If an HR specialist is assessing the usefulness of predictors in forecasting job success, and it is noted that a given predictor has both high validity and high adverse impact, the HR specialist should conclude ___________.
A. this can never happen and the method of calculating validity must be incorrect
B. this is a common circumstance and the predictor should be used
C. if the predictor is highly correlated with other predictors, this will compensate for adverse impact
D. legal problems could result and alternative predictors should be sought
6. Under which circumstances is "hiring success gain" likely to be optimal?
A. Low selection ratio, low base rate, high validity
B. High selection ratio, high base rate, high validity
C. High selection ratio, low base rate, high validity
D. High selection ratio, low base rate, low validity
7. Which of the following is the most difficult to estimate term in the economic gain formula?
A. Average tenure of employees.
B. Number of applicants.
C. Dollar value of job performance.
D. Cost per applicant.
8. Taylor-Russell tables are an effective decision making tool in that they ________.
A. allow for calculating selection ratios
B. enable HR specialists to calculate utility ratios
C. allow simultaneous consideration of a predictor's base rate, selection ratio, and validity
D. help to increase validity coefficients to more acceptable levels
9. Economic gain formulas provide the HR specialist with an estimate of ______.
A. the economic gain derived from using a predictor versus random selection
B. the economic gain from using random selection
C. the economic gain of the standard deviation of job performance
D. the economic gain of the validity coefficient
10. The _________ approach means that selection decisions means that scores on one predictor can make up for low scores on another.
A. multiple hurdles
B. Markov process
C. compensatory model
D. none of the above
11. The _________ method of determining an applicant's score is based on the expert judgment of the manager.
A. multiple regression
B. clinical prediction
C. unit weighting
D. none of the above
12. An applicant who is hired but does not perform successfully is a ______________.
A. true positive
B. false positive
C. true negative
D. false negative
13. An applicant who is not hired but who would have performed successfully if hired is a ______________.
A. true positive
B. false positive
C. true negative
D. false negative
14. If a cutoff score is lowered, the effect of this on hiring results is likely to be ______________.
A. fewer false negatives only
B. both fewer false negatives and more true positives
C. fewer false negatives and fewer false positives
D. more false negatives and more false positives
15. If a cutoff scores is set based on the qualifications deemed necessary to perform a job, it is most likely the ______ method of determining cut scores.
A. top-down
B. criterion-related
C. minimum competency
D. banding
16. When applicants who score within a certain score range are considered to have scored equivalently ________.
A. top-down
B. criterion-related
C. minimum competency
D. banding
17. Which of the following statements is a useful guideline for setting cutoff scores?
A. Cutoff scores should be consistent with normal expectations of acceptable proficiency within the workforce.
B. The job relatedness of assessment procedures should not be correlated with validity.
C. A single "best" method of setting cutoff scores should be identified.
D. Cutoff scores should be set to maximize true positives.
18. When using ___________, each finalist has an equal chance of being selected.
A. ranking
B. random selection
C. clinical prediction
D. grouping
19. When using ___________, finalists are ordered from the most desirable to the least desirable based on results of discretionary assessments.
A. ranking
B. random selection
C. clinical prediction
D. grouping
20. When using ___________, finalists are banded together into rank-ordered categories.
A. ranking
B. random selection
C. clinical prediction
D. grouping