Psychological Testing Article Analysis

Psychological Testing Article Analysis

According to Outtz, (2002) the controversy about the effectiveness or rationality of cognitive ability test as the test relates to the employment process decisions. Many Protagonists use the cognitive ability test when seeking to hire a new employee and if the test is used properly it will show a correlation of the individual's cognitive ability and what the job performance would be. The use of the cognitive ability test is to measure how well the individuals thinking skills are and how the individual can perform in different work environments. Having a high validity and having a less adverse impact on the testing results are what an individual is looking for when conducting the cognitive ability test. The academic article I chose is by James L. Outtz and the title of the article is The Role of Cognitive Ability Test in Employment Selection. In this paper I will first give a very brief summary of the article written by James L. Outtz. Next I will give and assessment of the general us of the cognitive ability test and consider the critically evaluates the role. In summary, I will discuss the implementation and utility of the cognitive ability test in the employment processes of individual in the work force today.

Summary of Article

The article summary shows how over the last several decades showed how there was a relationship between cognitive ability test, race and other test to show the validity about job performance of a potential new employee (Outtz, 2002). When the employer factors in the different races in the equations to the number of potential employees, the employer was able to summarize the job performance loss. When the employer gives the cognitive ability test the results from the White potential employees and the African American potential employees that have an adverse impact that is show which deviate from the standard (Outtz, 2002). One thing the test can show is the racial difference on the cognitive ability test is the measurement of the tangible job performance is much higher. The study found that in training test, pencil-and-paper measures and job knowledge test is the largest racial difference (Outtz, 2002). However, the race of the rater of the potential employee is the main factor that makes up the results of the cognitive ability test (Outtz, 2002). The results of the race of the rater will show that African American potential employee will receive higher scores than the Whites (Outtz, 2002).

To further summarize the article Outtz, (2002) discussed how different measures that show a relationship with contextual performance that and be used instead of measures that shows a relationship with task performance. Task performance shows how the perceptual ability and core technical proficiency whereas contextual performance shows a higher concern with making sure the potential employee has extra support, shows personal discipline and a support system by other workers of the potential employees (Outtz, 2002). Outtz, (2002) summarizes the article by relating the cognitive ability test with the contextual performance and task performance measures which shows having a lower opposing effect and a higher legitimacy that the expectations can be made about the job performance.

Cognitive Ability Test

Researchers have concluded that the cognitive ability test has a very high test, retest reliability (Outtz, 2002). For the prediction of hiring future police officers, Dayan, Fox & Kasten, (2008) administered a cognitive ability test and the results of the test were measurable and the validity for the purpose of the test which was to predict job performance was met and the results was re-testable. Using different cognitive ability test are useful when making decisions of potential employees. Also Latham & Sue-Chan, (2004) found that the WonderLic personnel test which also measures the cognitive