1. Enhance your understanding of the controversies surrounding integrity test use.
a. What are the three benefits organizations might realize by using integrity tests?
i.
Organizations can evaluate individuals on their attitudes and experiences
concerning honesty, dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, and
prosocial behavior. Organizations can use overt question types or
personality-based ones to infer how an individual may behave in the
future. According to research, the use of integrity tests can be justified to
combat internal theft from an organization.
b. What are the three reasons organizations might choose not to use integrity tests?
i.
Lack of evidence of reliability and validity for their intended purpose and
these tests can inaccurately identify traits like honesty. These tests are also
an invasion of privacy and have a more inhabiting effect pm minorities
which can play a part in discrimination and advantaging white people in
job opportunities.
c. Would you use integrity tests as a pre-screening or selection tool? Why or why
not?
i.
I would not use an integrity test as a pre-screen or selection tool as there is
little to no evidence on how reliable and accurate these tests are as well as
being rooted in systematic racism. I would much rather conduct interviews
than rely on invalid tests that discriminate against certain groups of
people.
Part 2
1. Enhance your understanding of the controversies surrounding the GATB. Review the
“The controversy over aptitude and integrity tests” section in chp2 of the textbook.
Conduct an internet search to learn more about current controversies regarding use of the
GATB.
2. Explain why organizations may not want to use the GATB. Imagine you are working at a
local job placement organization when you are introduced to a new employee, Rita, from
Canada who has had prior experience in job placement companies. During her orientation
and training, she was shocked to learn that the GATB is not used in the US as a standard
test for both pre-employment screening and job placement services. What would be your
explanation to Rita for why your organization does not use the GATB for employment
screening and job placement services?
a. We no longer use the GATB for employment screening because of its history of
discriminatory practices against minority groups, controversies over “racenorming”, unfair job placement referrals, the fact that the GATB has not been
updated since the 1980s and that there are more suitable tests for our needs such
as the O*NET.
3. Find more suitable tests to assist with job placement. Conduct an internet search to find
the National Center for O’NET development’s resource center website. Explore
O*NET’s products page to find two or three other tests that would be suitable to assist in
job placement, exploring careers, and making career decisions. In the table below,
document the tests you found, provide a brief description of each, and state how each is
more suitable to assist in job placement than GATB.
a. The O*Net Interest Profiler: is a family of self-assessment career exploration
tools that aid individuals in discovering the type of work activities and
occupations that are well-suited to them and what they would enjoy doing.
Individuals can use this tool to learn about their broad interests and can use these
results to explore work fields. It measures 6 types of occupational interests:
realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. This can be
more suitable to assist in job placement as it explores their broad interests and
what they would enjoy doing, not necessarily what the test thinks they would be
good at.
b. The O*Net Work Importance Locator is a self-assessment career exploration tool
that allows individuals to find what exactly is important to them in a job or career.
It helps individuals identify occupations they would be satisfied with based on the
similarity between their work values and the characteristics of the occupations.
The values include achievement, independence, recognition, relationships,
support, and working conditions. This is a better-suited test as it evaluates an
individual's values and what jobs would align with them, rather than the other
way around. It grants an individual more autonomy in their choice and helps them
narrow down their values and career options.
4. Locate and take two armed Service Vocational Aptitude battery (ASVAB) practice tests.
Conduct an internet search for free ASVAB practice tests. Take 2 of the practice tests you
find.
5. Answer the following questions based on your ASVAB results
a. Why might the ASVAB be a better aptitude test than the GATB?
i.
It tests general knowledge of multiple fields like math, general science,
electronic information, reading comprehension, etc. It seems to give all
test takers a chance to and there are many tools available to study, as well
as a general high school education would put many people on the same
playing field. It also narrows down what one is good at and what one
would need more practice in.
b. What did you learn by reviewing your ASVAB test results?
i.
I learned that I’m not good with electronic and automotive information but
I was aware of this gap in my knowledge. I was surprised how hard to
word association aspect of the test was, I thought I would excel in that
portion but I did pretty poorly.
c. How would you feel about employers using your ASVAB results to make job
placement decisions? Why would you feel this way?
i.
I would not feel comfortable with employers using my ASVAB results as I feel
they are not a clear representation of my skills, knowledge, or work ethic. I
understand how these tests are used for placement within the military, but I can’t
see this test reflecting what I want to do with my career. If it had to be used, I
would study and work on subjects I didn’t do great in and then take the test, and
have the opportunity to learn all the aspects of the test, even then I’m not sure if I
would want employers to use my test results in making job placement decisions.