A field study of frame-of-reference effects on personality test validity.
As part of a test validation study at a major U.S.-based airline, the authors tested the effects of providing an "at work" frame-of-reference on the validity of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory among a sample of customer service supervisors (N = 206). Frame-of-reference moderated the validity of the Extraversion and Openness to Experience subscales after controlling for cognitive ability. In addition, the frame-of-reference personality test showed incremental validity over cognitive ability (deltaR2 = .16), but the standard personality test did not (deltaR2 = .05). The authors' discussion focuses on implications for personality theory and research and on implications for increasing the validity of personality tests in organizational settings.
Hunthausen
John M
JM
Department of Psychology, Portland State University, USA. john.hunthausen@alaskaair.com
Truxillo
Donald M
DM
Bauer
Talya N
TN
Hammer
Leslie B
LB
D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015203:Reproducibility of Results