Employee Selection

Ones, D. S., Stanek, K. C., & Dilchert, S.
International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 33(1)
(2024)

We critically evaluate Dupré and Wille’s (2024) proposal for using assessments for organizational personality development through the lens of empirical evidence on adult personality change. We present an overview of research on personality stability and malleability throughout adulthood examining rank-order stability, mean-level changes, and the impact of life events and interventions. Empirical evidence reveals that while personality exhibits some plasticity in young adulthood, significant changes become increasingly rare beyond age 30. For older employees, personality remains highly stable, making age an important consideration in workforce development. Life experiences and intentional interventions have been shown to prompt modest personality changes, with emotional stability being the most malleable trait. We quantify these changes, noting shifts of up to two-thirds of a standard deviation in emotional stability through targeted interventions, with more limited effects on other Big Five traits. We also provide insights for organizational assessment practices, including the need for tailored personality (re-)assessment intervals and age-based norm composition for better utilization of personality information. With Cybernetic Trait Complexes Theory, we introduce a framework for aligning personality traits with situational cues in work environments. This approach emphasizes trait activation rather than personality modification, allowing organizations to harness employees’ strengths by strategically designing environments that naturally encourage beneficial trait expression. This shifts the focus from personality change to strategic activation of beneficial traits through environmental design. We describe how organizations can leverage employees’ existing personality trait complexes while fostering incremental behavioral adaptations, offering a pragmatic alternative to traditional employee development approaches. By aligning individuals with environments that activate their traits, organizations can enhance both personal and organizational outcomes, contributing to broader societal benefits as well.

Dilchert, S., Ones, D. S., & Krueger, R. F.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 12(2), 143-150.
(2019)

Personality tests are reliable and valid tools that can aid organizations in identifying suitable employees. They provide utility for maximizing organizational productivity and for avoiding claims of negligent hiring. When properly deployed, personality tests (both normal and abnormal/clinical) pose little threat of violating individuals’ rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other Equal Employment Opportunity–related laws and regulations. As evidenced by a dearth of successful legal challenges, even with increasing use of personality tests in recent years, organizations have become educated and sophisticated with regard to the ethical and legal use of such tests in employment settings. We predict this trend will continue, incorporating recent developments relating to contemporary models of psychopathology (Kotov et al., 2017; Markon, Krueger, & Watson, 2005), neurobiologically informed theoretical explanations of psychopathology (DeYoung & Krueger, 2018), and the alternative model of personality disorders (AMPD) included in the most recent edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition; DSM-5).

Dilchert, S.
In D. S. Ones, N. Anderson, C. Viswesvaran, & H. Sinangil (Eds.)
The SAGE Handbook of Industrial, Work and Organizational Psychology: Vol. 1. Personnel psychology and employee performance (2nd ed., pp. 248–276).
SAGE
(2018)

This chapter summarizes important issues surrounding the use of cognitive ability tests in organizational settings, and highlights new developments that are becoming particularly pertinent given demographic changes in many societies and international economic trends (e.g., age differences, cross-cultural assessment, internet-based testing).

Wiernik, B. M., Albrecht, A.-G., Dilchert, S., Deller, J., Ones, D. S., & Paulus, F. M.
In B. M. Wiernik, H. Rüger, & D. S. Ones (Eds.)
Managing expatriates: Success factors in private and public domains (pp. 195–208).
Budrich
(2018)

Local language proficiency is often regarded as a key enabling factor for expatriate success. In this study, we use data from the iGOES project to examine how language proficiency contributes to expatriate outcomes. Language proficiency is negligibly to weakly related to most outcomes, but does show positive relations with interaction adjustment. Moderator analyses support the interpretation of this relation as reflecting increased comfort from being able to communicate effectively, rather than reflecting cultural engagement or social inclusion effects. Overall, results indicate that local language proficiency can contribute to expatriate comfort, but is not absolutely necessary for expatriate success.

Wiernik, B. M., Kostal, J. W., Wilmot, M. P., Dilchert, S., & Ones, D. S.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 10(3), 472–479
(2017)

Generalization in meta-analyses is not a dichotomous decision (typically encountered in papers using the Q test for homogeneity, the 75% rule, or null hypothesis tests). Inattention to effect size variability in meta-analyses may stem from a lack of guidelines for interpreting credibility intervals. In this commentary, we describe two methods for making practical interpretations and determining whether a particular SDρ represents a meaningful level of variability.

Hough, L. M., & Dilchert, S.
In J. L. Farr & N. T. Tippins (Eds.),
Handbook of employee selection (2nd ed., pp. 298-325).
Routledge
(2017)

In this chapter, we update the issues and evidence, and describe the emerging consensus about the usefulness of personality variables in employee selection. We describe the mega-trends that have influenced the personality variables that are selected for inclusion in selection systems, how they are measured, and the outcomes they are expected to predict. We describe factors that hinder our understanding and those that help increase our knowledge of personality variables and their role in more accurately predicting work-related criteria. We address issues related to taxonomic structure, measurement methods, level of measurement, validity, and factors that threaten and enhance the validity of personality measures.

Ones, D. S., Dilchert, S., Viswesvaran, C., & Salgado, J. F.
In J. L. Farr & N. T. Tippins (Eds.),
Handbook of employee selection (2nd ed., pp. 251-276).
Routledge
(2017)

In this chapter, we provide an overview of cognitive ability’s key role in staffing organizations and provide evidence-based practice recommendations. We first present a brief synopsis of the history, current usage, and acceptance of cognitive ability tests in employee selection. Second, we highlight the theoretical underpinnings and structure of cognitive ability as a construct. Third, we discuss developments in its measurement. Fourth, we present an overview of the criterion-related validity of cognitive ability tests in predicting valued work behaviors and outcomes, including non-task-performance criteria that have been increasingly investigated in recent years. Fifth, we discuss the issue of group differences in cognitive ability test scores both within the United States and internationally. We conclude by discussing future research and challenges facing organizations that intend to use cognitive ability tests in making employee selection decisions.

Wiernik, B. M., Dilchert, S., & Ones, D. S.
Zeitschrift für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie.
(in press)

The present study used intraindividual criterion profile analysis to investigate the relationship between creative artistic and investigative interests and the Big Five personality traits. In 19 samples, we found that artistic and investigative interests showed distinct intraindividual personality profile patterns. Investigative interests were associated with elevated openness to intellect, conscientiousness, and emotional stability and low extraversion and agreeableness, relative to individuals’ other traits. Artistic interests were associated with personal strengths for openness to experiences and personal weaknesses for conscientiousness, assertiveness, and emotional stability. Across creative interests, profile pattern, not absolute trait level, drove the relationship between personality traits and interests. These findings replicated across numerous personality inventories and levels of interest specificity (RIASEC, basic interests, occupation-specific interests). We discuss the implications of these results for the complementary use of personality and interest scales in vocational counseling and personnel selection.

Klein, R. M., Dilchert, S. Ones, D. S., & Dages, K. D.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 100, 1497-1510.
(2015)

Age differences on measures of general mental ability and specific cognitive abilities were examined in 2 samples of job applicants to executive positions as well as a mix of executive/nonexecutive positions to determine which predictors might lead to age-based adverse impact in making selection and advancement decisions. Generalizability of the pattern of findings was also investigated in 2 samples from the general adult population. Age was negatively related to general mental ability, with older executives scoring lower than younger executives. For specific ability components, the direction and magnitude of age differences depended on the specific ability in question. Older executives scored higher on verbal ability, a measure most often associated with crystallized intelligence. This finding generalized across samples examined in this study. Also, consistent with findings that fluid abilities decline with age, older executives scored somewhat lower on figural reasoning than younger executives, and much lower on a letter series test of inductive reasoning. Other measures of inductive reasoning, such as Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices, also showed similar age group mean differences across settings. Implications for employee selection and adverse impact on older job candidates are discussed.

Dilchert, S., Ones, D. S., & Krueger, R. F.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 7, 98-110.
(2014)

Important changes have been occurring in the clinical psychology literature that are relevant to how maladaptive personality characteristics are conceptualized, measured, and used in workplace applications. We aim to clarify distinctions among maladaptive personality traits, measures of maladaptive personality constructs, and their behavioral consequences at work. In pursuing a connection between the industrial–organizational (I–O) and clinical psychology literatures on maladaptive personality, we distinguish maladaptive constructs, maladaptive measures, and maladaptive work behaviors. Conceptual clarification and linguistic precision are essential, as their distinctions are not merely academic but have important consequences for workplace research and practice.

Dilchert, S.
In J. F. Carlson, K. F. Geisinger, & J. L. Johnson (Eds.),
Mental measurements yearbook (19th ed., pp. 491-494). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
(2014)

This review provides information about the development, reliability, and validity of the Non-Verbal IQ Test (NVIQT). The NVIQT is a nonverbal measure of cognitive ability, developed to assess spatial ability and pattern recognition. The stated purpose of the test is to serve as a measure of intelligence that minimizes irrelevant cultural or educational influences on test scores. The technical manual accompanying the test does not further delineate the nature of the construct that the test is intended to assess. Limited information is provided on the intended target population or intended uses of the test…

Albrecht, A.-G., Dilchert, S., Deller, J., & Paulus, F. M.
Journal of Personality Assessment, 96, 64-75.
(2014)

Openness plays an important role in determining what kind of experiences individuals seek out not only in their personal lives, but also in work environments. The objectives of this study were (a) to examine the influence of openness and its facets on the decision to work abroad and (b) to study whether employees’ openness relates to cross-cultural adjustment as well as job and life satisfaction. We investigated these questions among a sample of 2,096 expatriates. In addition to self-reports of openness and cross-cultural adjustment, ratings of subjects’ adjustment were also obtained from 928 knowledgeable others. The openness facets of actions, ideas, and values appear to be good predictors of acceptance of international assignments. In addition, global Openness and its facets Openness to actions and feelings relate to self- and other ratings of cross-cultural adjustment.

Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S.
In A. H. Huffman & S. R. Klein,
Green organizations: Driving change with I-O Psychology (pp. 115-148).
New York: Routledge.
(2013)

In this chapter, we first highlight evidence that environmental sustainability and responsibility are increasingly valued by many corporations. Second, we delineate environmental sustainability constructs at both the organizational and individual levels of analysis. At the organizational level, we distinguish environmental performance from social responsibility, and highlight how each is related to organizational financial performance. At the individual level, we distinguish between general pro-environmental behaviors and employee green behaviors. We also discuss how employee green behaviors relate to constructs such as employee engagement, task performance, organizational citizenship behaviors, counterproductive work behaviors, and organizational tenure. Third, we describe a taxonomy of employee green behaviors, noting functional and motivational differences among categories. Fourth, we review person-based approaches (recruiting, staffing) and intervention-based approaches (training, motivational interventions) that can be used to influence employee green behaviors in organizations. We conclude by highlighting streams of employee-focused research that will contribute to improving environmental sustainability of organizations.

Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S. (2012).  
In S. E. Jackson, D. S. Ones, & S. Dilchert (Eds.),
Managing human resources for environmental sustainability (pp. 85-116).
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Wiley.
(2012)

The overall objective of this chapter is to describe individual variability in employee behaviors that relate to environmental sustainability work settings. To achieve this goal, we first define a broad category of behavior that we have come to refer to as employee green behavior. Second, we then detail a taxonomy of employee green behaviors that is intended to describe the content of employee green behavior categories and define a construct of individual level environmental sustainability in work settings. Third, ‘we address the connections between employee green behaviors and model of individual level performance. Fourth, we offer guidance on how the framework presented in this chapter can be used in human resources management practice and research applications. We conclude by addressing construct validity questions about the model of employee green behaviors.

Hoffman, B. J., & Dilchert, S.
In N. Schmitt (Ed.),
Oxford handbook of personnel assessment and selection (pp. 543–569).
New York: Oxford University Press.
(2012)

This chapter provides an analysis of historical trends underlying the measurement of two alternative work criterion variables: organizational citizenship and counterproductive work behaviors. Conceptual frameworks and taxonomic models are reviewed, and measurement of the two constructs in research and applied settings is discussed. The empirical evidence that links individual differences predictors and assessment tools to citizenship and counterproductivity is discussed with a focus on employee selection.

Ones, D. S., Dilchert, S., & Viswesvaran, C.
In N. Schmitt (Ed.),
Oxford handbook of personnel assessment and selection (pp. 179-224). New York: Oxford University Press.
(2012)

This chapter describes measures of cognitive ability (general mental ability and specific abilities) and examines their usefulness for personnel selection. An overview of definitional and theoretical issues as they apply to use of such measures in personnel decision making is provided first. Then, issues of reliability of measures are discussed, again with particular emphasis on implications for personnel selection (e.g., impact on rank order of candidates when using different measures). Next, validities of cognitive ability tests are summarized for the following criteria: overall job performance, task performance, contextual performance, counterproductive work behaviors, leadership, creativity and innovation, voluntary turnover, job satisfaction, and career success. The authors address the nature of predictor-criterion relationships (e.g., usefulness of general versus specific abilities, criterion dynamicity, assumption of linearity) by discussing both recent large-scale evidence in normal samples and among the highly gifted. Finally, the extent to which cognitive ability is captured in tools other than standardized tests is summarized, enabling an evaluation of other selection assessments as substitutes and/or supplements to standardized cognitive ability tests.

Ones, D. S., Dilchert, S., Deller, J., Albrecht, A.-G., Duehr, E. E., & Paulus, F. M.
In A. M. Ryan, F. T. L. Leong, & F. L. Oswald (Eds.),
Conducting multinational research projects in organizational psychology: Challenges and opportunities (pp. 91-122).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
(2012)

When differences are observed across samples in cross-cultural research, true cultural differences (and sample representativeness) are not the only explanations that ought to be considered. A main thesis of this chapter is that when differences are observed, findings can be due to chance (sampling error) as well as other statistical artifacts (see Hunter & Schmidt, 2004). Testing whether cross-cultural variability in findings is due to real effects of culture or such statistical artifacts is an important step that is essential in cross-cultural research. Addressing the biasing influences of statistical artifacts may help reveal cross-cultural universals. The magnitude of cultural variation in results can be empirically examined using approaches of psychometric meta-analysis. A major contribution that meta-analytic techniques can make to cross-cultural research is to enable researchers to test the cross-cultural generalizability of relationships. In the remainder of this chapter, we review, illustrate, and discuss three unique applications of meta-analysis to examine cross-cultural effects. First, we review and discuss pooling findings across intracultural studies to examine questions of cross-cultural generalizability. Second, we illustrate the value of applying meta-analysis to carefully conducted intercultural studies to examine the same question. Third, we demonstrate the use of meta-analysis to examine transcultural variability using primary data collected from different cultural settings. For each type of application, we offer a brief background, review and present illustrative findings, and discuss contributions and potential limitations.

[Living and working abroad – psychological factors and success in international occupational decisions]
Deller, J., Albrecht, A-G., Ones, D. S., Dilchert, S., & Paulus, F. M.
Berlin Medical, 10, 5-7.
(2012)

In den vergangenen Jahren haben wir Projekt iGOES (international Generalizability of Expatriate Success Factors) das mit bislang über 2.300 persönlich interviewten Auslandsmitarbeitern weltweit größte interkulturelle wirtschaftspsychologisch diagnostische Forschungsprojekt durchgeführt. Dieser Beitrag schildert in Anlehnung an Deller und Albrecht [l] das Projekt in seinen Grundzügen und berichtet zusätzlich ausgewählte Ergebnisse zur Bedeutung der Persönlichkeitsdimension „Offenheit” für Anpassung als eine Perspektive des Erfolges von Auslandseinsätzen.

Dilchert, S., & Ones, D. S.
In M. Ziegler, C. MacCann, & R. D. Roberts, (Eds.)
New perspectives on faking in personality assessments (pp. 177-200).
New York: Oxford University Press.
(2011)

This chapter addresses issues surrounding strategies to identify and reduce socially desirable responding, impression management, and faking in applied assessment settings. Strategies are discussed in terms of a framework with four categories based on purpose (identification or prevention) and level (scale/test or person). Three major questions are considered: Which forms do the strategies take (what are recommendations for use in applied assessment practice)? To what degree do test users rely on such strategies in identifying or preventing response distortion (what are the prevalence rates)? What is the effectiveness of each strategy in applied settings (does it lead to the successful identification or prevention of faking under realistic assessment conditions)? The chapter concludes that even those strategies that have received the most research attention so far do not present effective solutions in applied assessment settings.

Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S.
In R. A. Spies, J. F. Carlson, & K. F. Geisinger (Eds.),
Mental measurements yearbook (18th ed., pp. 1-4). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
(2010)

This review provides information about the development, reliability, and validity of the A-4 Police Officer Video Test. The A-4 Police Officer Video Test is a 90-item multiple-choice test designed to assess both cognitive and noncognitive competencies relevant for success in police office jobs. The test is administered using a video tape, which contains narrated instructions. Administration of the test takes a total time of 155 minutes…

Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S.
In R. A. Spies, J. F. Carlson, & K. F. Geisinger (Eds.),
Mental measurements yearbook (18th ed., pp. 387-390). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
(2010)

This review provides information about the development, reliability, and validity of the P-1SV and P-2SV Police Officer Tests. The P-lSV and P-2SV Police Officer Tests are intended to assess some characteristics required to perform entry level police officer jobs successfully. Each test form contains 100 multiple-choice questions, which are dichotomously scored (correct/incorrect), and each test yields a single overall score. The knowledge, skills, abilities, and personal characteristics (KSAPs) that the tests assess are specified in the technical manual as: (a) Reasoning Ability, (b) Observation/Perceptiveness, (c) Ability to Learn Proper Police Procedures, (d) Speaking Ability, (e) Ability to Learn Laws to be Enforced, (f) Writing Ability, (g) Problem Solving, (h) Memory, (i) Learning, G) Reading, and (k) Planning/Organizing….

Hough, L. M., & Dilchert, S.
In J. L. Farr & N. T. Tippins (Eds.),
Handbook of employee selection (pp. 299-319).
New York: Routledge.
(2010)

One of the most important advances in our field can be attributed to the recognition of the importance of personality variables in determining and explaining performance. With the addition of personality variables to our models of job performance, we are now able to explain significantly more variation in behavior and performance than ever before. In this chapter, we review the issues, document the evidence, and describe the consensus emerging about the usefulness of personality variables in employee selection. We describe factors that hinder our understanding and those that help increase our knowledge of personality variables and their role in more accurately predicting work-related criteria. We address issues related to taxonomic structure, measurement methods, level of measurement, validity, and factors that threaten and enhance the validity of personality measures.

Ones, D. S., Dilchert, S., Viswesvaran, C. & Salgado, J. F.
In J. L. Farr & N. T. Tippins (Eds.),
Handbook of employee selection (pp. 255-275).
New York: Routledge.
(2010)

Intelligence affects individuals’ lives in countless ways. As such, it is an exceedingly precious trait to include in employee selection systems. In this chapter, we provide an overview of cognitive ability’s key role in staffing organizations and provide evidence-based practice recommendations. We first present a brief synopsis of the history, current usage, and acceptance of cognitive ability tests in employee selection. Second, we highlight the theoretical underpinnings of cognitive ability as a construct. Third, we discuss developments in its measurement. Fourth, we present an overview of the criterion-related validity of cognitive ability tests in predicting valued work behaviors and outcomes. Fifth, we discuss the issue of group differences in cognitive ability test scores both within the United States and internationally. We conclude by discussing future research and practice challenges.

Ones, D. S. & Dilchert, S.
InTheBlack, 54-55.
(2009)

We make judgments and evaluations about others’ personalities every day – when we meet new acquaintances, when we catch up with old friends, and even when we interact with our spouses or partners. Personality is important – it describes the general tendencies of individuals to feel, think, act, and react in a variety of life situations. And our work lives, of course, are one of those domains where personality plays a primary role. Organisations have long tried to glean information on individuals’ personalities for a variety of purposes, including career counselling, employee development and coaching, or candidate selection. The method most commonly used to try to learn more about someone’s “character” is the employment interview, and such interviews can be useful when properly designed and applied (especially when they are standardised to minimise the influence of human error and bias).

Dilchert, S., & Ones, D. S.
International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 17, 254-270.
(2009)

This study provides an investigation of the nomological net for the seven primary assessment center (AC) dimensions identified by Arthur, Day, McNelly, and Eden (Personnel Psychology, 56, 125–154, 2003). In doing so, the authors provide the first robust estimates of the relationships between all primary AC dimensions with cognitive ability and the Big 5 factors of personality. Additionally, intercorrelations between AC dimensions based on sample sizes much larger than those previously available in the meta-analytic literature are presented. Data were obtained from two large managerial samples (total N = 4985). Primary data on AC dimensions, personality, and cognitive ability interrelationships were subsequently integrated with meta-analytic data to estimate incremental validity for optimally and unit-weighted AC dimension composites as well as overall AC ratings over psychometric tests of personality and cognitive ability. Results show that unit- and optimally weighted composites of construct-based AC dimensions add incremental validity over tests of personality and cognitive ability, while overall AC ratings (including those obtained using subjective methods of data combination) do not.

Lievens, F., Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 94, 1514-1535.
(2009)

Admissions and personnel decisions rely on stable predictor–criterion relationships. The authors studied the validity of Big Five personality factors and their facets for predicting academic performance in medical school across multiple years, investigating whether criterion-related validities change over time. In this longitudinal investigation, an entire European country’s 1997 cohort of medical students was studied throughout their medical school career (Year 1, N = 627; Year 7, N = 306). Over time, extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness factor and facet scale scores showed increases in operational validity for predicting grade point averages. Although there may not be any advantages to being open and extraverted for early academic performance, these traits gain importance for later academic performance when applied practice increasingly plays a part in the curriculum. Conscientiousness, perhaps more than any other personality trait, appears to be an increasing asset for medical students: Operational validities of conscientiousness increased from .18 to .45. In assessing the utility of personality measures, relying on early criteria might underestimate the predictive value of personality variables. Implications for personality measures to predict work performance are discussed.

Lievens, F., Dilchert, S., & Ones, D. S.
Human Performance, 22, 375-390.
(2009)

This study presents a simultaneous examination of multiple evidential bases of the validity of assessment center (AC) ratings. In particular, we combine both construct-related and criterion-related validation strategies in the same sample to determine the relative importance of exercises and dimensions. We examine the underlying structure of ACs in terms of exercise and dimension factors while directly linking these factors to a work-related criterion (salary). Results from an AC (N = 753) showed that exercise factors not only explained more variance in AC ratings than dimension factors but also were more important in predicting salary. Dimension factors explained a smaller albeit significant portion of the variance in AC ratings and had lower validity for predicting salary. The implications of these findings for AC theory, practice, and research are discussed.

Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2, 163-170.
(2009)

Hollenbeck (2009) suggests that executive selection decisions are often wrong and believes that selection of executives should be differentiated from selection at lower levels. In addition, he asserts that by focusing on competencies, rather than characteristics, ‘‘we are doing it backwards.’’ We agree with Hollenbeck that sound personnel selection should start with and be based on personal characteristics rather than amorphous, often ill-defined competencies. Yet, this principle applies to all selection not just executive selection. In order to determine whether executive selection should truly be a special process, two key questions must be asked and answered.

Dilchert, S., & Ones, D. S.
Zeitschrift für Personalpsychologie, 7, 1-23.
(2008)

The relationship between personality and salary was investigated among 4,150 managers. Individuals at five different managerial levels completed a measure of the Big Five personality dimensions as part of a work-related psychological assessment. The validity of personality for predicting salary was examined separately by managerial level, sex, as well as by purpose of assessment (selection versus development). Results indicated that personality predicts managerial salaries with useful levels of validity and thus is valuable for predicting extrinsic career success. While there was no evidence for differential validity by sex or purpose of assessment, results differed across managerial levels, with stronger relationships among the lowest and highest managerial groups (i.e., supervisors and top executives) largely due to increased predictor and criterion score variability.

Dilchert, S.
International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 15, 317-334.
(2007)

This study investigates the relationship between personality and leadership and managerial interests at different levels of the vocational interest taxonomy. Personality scale scores from four different inventories were used to predict vocational interests of 574 adults. Influencing/enterprising interests, leadership and supervisory interests, and job-specific managerial interests (e.g., CEO, Media Executive, Human Resources Director) served as criterion measures. A multiple regression-based pattern recognition procedure recently devised by Davison and Davenport was applied to identify configurations of personality scores relating to these interest criteria. The personality profile pattern predictive of influencing and leadership interests was stable across different managerial domains. Results indicate that personality profile patterns drive the predictive power of personality scores, and that they explain a larger proportion of the variance in influencing and leadership interests compared with individuals’ absolute trait levels.

Dilchert, S., Ones, D. S., Davis, R. D., & Rostow, C. D.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 616-627.
(2007)

Over the past 2 decades, increasing attention has been directed at the relationship between individual differences and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB). However, most of this research has focused on personality variables as potential predictors of CWB; surprisingly little research has investigated the link between counterproductivity and cognitive ability. This study presents the first focal investigation of the cognitive ability-CWB relationship. The authors measured organizational and interpersonal CWB using organizational records of formally recorded incidents (e.g., destruction of property, physical violence). In a predictive study, for a large sample of law enforcement job applicants, a standardized psychometric test of cognitive ability predicted CWB, whereas educational attainment did not.

Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S., Viswesvaran, C., & Judge, T. A.
Personnel Psychology, 60, 995-1027.
(2007)

Personality constructs have been demonstrated to be useful for explaining and predicting attitudes, behaviors, performance, and outcomes in organizational settings. Many professionally developed measures of personality constructs display useful levels of criterion-related validity for job performance and its facets. In this response to Morgeson et al. (2007), we comprehensively summarize previously published meta-analyses on (a) the optimal and unit-weighted multiple correlations between the Big Five personality dimensions and behaviors in organizations, including job performance; (b) generalizable bivariate relationships of Conscientiousness and its facets (e.g., achievement orientation, dependability, cautiousness) with job performance constructs; (c) the validity of compound personality measures; and (d) the incremental validity of personality measures over cognitive ability. Hundreds of primary studies and dozens of meta-analyses conducted and published since the mid 1980s indicate strong support for using personality measures in staffing decisions. Moreover, there is little evidence that response distortion among job applicants ruins the psychometric properties, including criterion-related validity, of personality measures. We also provide a brief evaluation of the merits of alternatives that have been offered in place of traditional self-report personality measures for organizational decision making. Given the cumulative data, writing off the whole domain of individual differences in personality or all self-report measures of personality from personnel selection and organizational decision making is counterproductive for the science and practice of I-O psychology.

Dilchert, S., Ones, D. S., Viswesvaran, C., & Deller, J.
Psychology Science, 48, 209-225.
(2006)

This introductory article to the special issue of Psychology Science devoted to the subject of “Considering Response Distortion in Personality Measurement for Industrial, Work and Organizational Psychology Research and Practice” presents an overview of the issues of response distortion in personality measurement. It also provides a summary of the other articles published as part of this special issue addressing social desirability, impression management, self-presentation, response distortion, and faking in personality measurement in industrial, work, and organizational settings.

Dilchert, S., Ones, D. S., Van Rooy, D. L., & Viswesvaran, C.
In J. H. Greenhaus & G. A. Callanan (Eds.),
Encyclopedia of career development (vol. 1, pp. 36-42).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
(2006)

The first part of this encyclopedia entry presents a brief history of the Big Five dimensions of personality. Then, each Big Five dimension is described. The entry concludes with a review of the relevance and usefulness of the Big Five in work and career contexts.

Van Rooy, D. L., Viswesvaran, C., Dilchert, S., & Ones, D. S.
In J. H. Greenhaus & G. A. Callanan (Eds.),
Encyclopedia of career development (vol. 1, pp. 259-265).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
(2006)

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a concept that has caught the attention of researchers, practitioners, and the general public over the last decade. The idea that career development involves not only a cognitive but also an affective component has been promoted in recent years. Popular books discuss the importance of EI for success in academic and occupational settings, as well as how it determines success in current jobs, promotions, and other important life outcomes. Claims abound that successful negotiation of relationships in a career depends on the perceptions and management of emotions in oneself and others. This entry covers three areas associated EI. First, there is a review of the competing conceptualizations (and associated measurements) of EI. Second, there is an overview of empirical studies that attempt to link EI to successful career development. Finally, there is an identification of some critical future research needs and potential applications.

Van Rooy, D. L., Dilchert, S., Viswesvaran, C., & Ones, D. S.
In K. R. Murphy (Ed.), A critique of emotional intelligence:
What are the problems and how can they be fixed? (pp. 235-262).
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

A wide range of measures have been used to help make decisions in personnel selection, and an extensive research base exists on the criterion-related validity of these measures. Across different jobs, general mental ability (GMA) has been found to be the best predictor of overall performance and task performance. Even if organizations value additional criteria, the prediction of task performance is central to personnel selection. In a fast-changing competitive environment, organizations will generally strive to select individuals high on intelligence in an attempt to maximize performance. On the downside, selecting individuals based on GMA often results in adverse impact for minority groups and can lead to costly litigation for organizations in the United States. Furthermore, there is the competing demand for a diverse workforce as an advantage in a multicultural society and global economy. These two conflicting demands (the need to hire individuals high on general cognitive ability and to obtain a diverse workforce) have contributed to interest in the development of measures of alternate or multiple intelligences. In this chapter, we discuss the three intelligences that have received the most attention in the personnel selection arena. The “Big 3” intelligences consist of general, emotional, and practical intelligence. In this chapter, we provide an overview of each of these and discuss the main merits of each. We conclude by relating the three intelligences together and discuss if there is a “best” intelligence to rely on in personnel selection.

[To “discriminate between” does not equal to “discriminate against” – HR and fairness]
Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S., & Deller, J.
Wirtschaftspsychologie Aktuell, 2-3, 51-53.
(2006)

Deutschland hat nun ein „Allgemeines Gleichstellungsgesetz“ genanntes „Antidiskriminierungsgesetz“ bekommen, mit dem die deutsche Wirtschaft nicht eben glücklich ist. Die Sorge unter Human-Resource-Managern ist groß, demnächst permanent mit einem Bein im Fettnapf zu stehen.

Ones, D. S., Viswesvaran, C., & Dilchert, S.
Human Performance, 18, 389-404.
(2005)

Personality variables have always predicted important behaviors and outcomes in industrial, work, and organizational psychology. In this commentary, we first review empirically supported structural models of personality that show the following: (a) Personality traits are hierarchically organized, (b) the Big Five are not orthogonal, (c) abnormal personality measures assess the same continuum of traits as normal adult personality measures, and (d) there are compound personality traits that are especially useful in the prediction of organizational behaviors. Second, we provide a brief overview of meta-analyses of compound personality variables. The highest operational validities of single scales (.40s) are associated with personality measures assessing broad, compound personality characteristics, such as integrity, violence potential, customer service orientation, and managerial potential, that incorporate aspects from multiple dimensions of the Big Five. Third, we also review meta-analytic evidence that has linked personality attributes to other important organizational attitudes and behaviors, such as job satisfaction, motivation, and leadership, with multiple correlations for the Big Five in the .40 to .50 range. Fourth, we discuss the important role that meta-analysis has had in establishing the predictive and explanatory value of personality variables. We conclude with some caveats and directions for future research.

Ones, D. S., Viswesvaran, C., & Dilchert, S.
In A. Evers, O. Voskuijl, & N. Anderson (Eds.),
Handbook of personnel selection (pp. 143-173).
Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
(2005)

Our main objective in this chapter is to provide an overview of the vast literature on CA tests in selection contexts. We first discuss the unique status of CA in selection, and clarify its psychometric and psychological meaning. We then review information on the prevalence of CA test use in personnel selection from around the world. We also discuss acceptability of ability testing and applicant reactions. Next, we review the evidence supporting the use of CA tests for selection by summarizing results from meta-analyses examining their criterion-related validity in occupational settings, across national boundaries. The overwhelming evidence suggests that CA tests are predictive of job performance across jobs and cultures. Given this conclusion, we explore the causal mechanisms through which CA comes to influence job performance. Next, we briefly note research on race, ethnic group, gender, and age differences on CA tests and their implications for adverse impact. We conclude our chapter with a discussion of current and new directions for research on CA, including the assessment of CA using various selection methods such as interviews, assessment centers, situational judgment tests (SJTs), and newly proposed intelligences (such as practical intelligence, emotional intelligence, etc.).

Dilchert, S., Ones, D. S., Van Rooy, D. L., & Viswesvaran, C.
In F. Avallone, H. K. Sinangil, & A. Caetano (Eds.),
Convivence in organizations and society (pp. 161-168).
Milan, Italy: Guerini Studio.
(2005)

Emotional intelligence (EI) has dramatically gained in popularity over the last ten years. In recent years, the construct bas seen increased numbers of applications in diverse domains (Matthews, Zeidner, & Roberts, 2002) and has been touted as an essential ingredient for success in school, higher education, and the workplace (see, for example, Gibbs, 1995; Goleman. 1995). claims have been made that EI is an essential ingredient for successful relationships in all walks of life. Several recent works (see Murphy, in press; Van Rooy, Dilchert. Viswesvaran, & Ones, in press; Van Rooy & Viswesvaran, 2004) have evaluated the numerous claims regarding the utility of EI in applied contexts. The aim of this paper is to revisit validity and measurement issues, but to outline different conceptualizations of EI, and sketch its role in navigating through relationships in organizational contexts. The paper is organized into two main sections. In the first section, we review the different conceptualizations of the construct found in the scientific literature and summarize the differences between them. In the second section, we discuss potential process mechanisms through which EI relates to interpersonal behaviors in organizations.

Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S.
In R. A. Spies & B. S. Plake (Eds.),
Mental measurements yearbook (16th ed., pp. 356-359). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
(2005)

The Emotional Judgment Inventory (EJI) is a self-report measure, assessing seven dimensions of emotional intelligence. The test is based on the definition of emotional intelligence from Salovey and Mayer (1990) as “the ability to appraise one’s own and others’ emotions, manage one’s own and others’ emotions, and use one’s emotions intelligently and adaptively in problem solving” (manual, p. 1). Seven EJl scales assess (a) being aware of emotions, (b) identifying own emotions, (c) identifying others’ emotions, (d) managing own emotions, (e) managing others’ emotions, (f) using emotions in problem solving, and (g) expressing emotions adaptively…

Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S.
In R. A. Spies & B. S. Plake (Eds.),
Mental measurements yearbook (16th ed., pp. 414-416). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
(2005)

This review provides information about the development, reliability, and validity of the Giotto integrity test. Giotto is a self-report, paper-and-pencil personality-based integrity test. The developers intended it to be used for selection, promotion, appraisal, and development purposes in work settings. Seven attributes asserted to tap into aspects of the overall integrity construct arc measured: Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, Justice, Faith, Charity, and Hope…

[What is the value of “personality” on the job?] 
Deller, J., Ones, D. S., & Dilchert, S.
Wirtschaftspsychologie Aktuell, 12, 35-38.
(2005)

Welchen Einfluss hat Persönlichkeit auf Aspekte wie Führung, Verhalten in Teams, Arbeitsleistung und Managementerfolg? Diesen Fragen ging im Frühsommer die Tagung „International Symposium on Personality at Work“ in Lüneburg nach. Etwa 60 Teilnehmer aus zwölf Nationen, darunter 21 Nachwuchswissenschaftler, trafen sich zum Austausch. State of the Art, Probleme und Trends – ein Interview mit den Veranstaltern.

Ones, D. S., Viswesvaran, C., & Dilchert, S. (2005)
In O. Wilhelm & R. W. Engle (Eds.),
Handbook of understanding and measuring intelligence (pp. 431-468).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
(2040)

In this chapter, our objective is to summarize the evidence supporting the use of cognitive ability tests for personnel selection and for university admissions. We first provide an overview of results from meta-analyses examining the criterion-related validity of cognitive ability tests in multiple educational and occupational settings, across national boundaries. The overwhelming evidence suggests that cognitive ability tests are predictive of important criteria across jobs and cultures. Given this evidence, we then explore why these tests are valid. In doing so, we discuss the different theoretical causal process mechanisms proposed and tested to explain how and why cognitive ability tests come to predict important behaviors and outcomes in educational and work settings. We also discuss controversial issues around cognitive ability testing in selection settings: (a) predictive value of general mental ability versus specific abilities and (b) gender and ethnic group differences on cognitive ability measures and implications for adverse impact. We conclude with a discussion of individual and societal implications of using cognitive ability test scores for making important selection decisions in applied settings.