Understanding Individual Differences and Job Analysis in Industrial-Organizational Psychology

What are individual differences?

Stable attributes that differentiate people from one another.

How do individual differences compare to emotions?

Individual differences are more stable than emotions or mood.

What assumption is made about individual differences in adults?

Adults have a variety of stable attributes associated with job success.

What types of individual differences are relevant to job performance?

Cognitive abilities, physical ability, personality, interest, knowledge, emotion, and skills.

What is the strongest predictor of job performance?

Cognitive ability.

What is fluid intelligence?

The capacity to think logically and solve problems in novel situations.

What is crystallized knowledge?

The accumulation of knowledge, facts, skills, and experience gained over a lifetime.

What is the Five Factor Model of Personality?

A model that includes Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Which personality trait predicts job performance the most?

Conscientiousness.

What is the correlation of conscientiousness with job performance?

Between 0.22 and 0.27.

What are KSAOs in job analysis?

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other characteristics necessary for job performance.

What is the purpose of job analysis?

To determine important tasks of a job and the human attributes necessary for success.

Who are subject matter experts (SMEs)?

Employees who provide information about a job during a job analysis.

What role does job analysis play in recruitment?

It helps target recruitment towards candidates with job-relevant KSAOs.

What are the potential issues with using personality tests for neurodivergent individuals?

Tests may produce results similar to ADHD assessments, leading to lower scores for those with ADHD.

What is the significance of longitudinal research in personality traits?

It shows stability of traits like conscientiousness and emotional stability over time.

What is the relationship between cognitive ability and job complexity?

Predictive power of cognitive ability decreases in less complex jobs.

What is the definition of personality in the workplace context?

An individual's behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal tendencies.

What are red flags associated with personality tests in job selection?

Tests like Meyer Briggs and Enneagram lack peer-reviewed scientific backing.

What is the significance of meta-analysis in personality research?

It quantitatively analyzes previously published papers to validate findings.

What is the importance of assessing attributes needed for success?

It allows for effective selection and training of candidates.

What is the purpose of promotions in job analysis?

Promotions group jobs together and create an outline of upward trajectory for employees.

What does performance evaluation define?

It defines what good performance looks like for a particular job role.

How is compensation determined in job analysis?

Compensation is informed by the duties of the job role; more demands and qualifications typically lead to a higher salary/wage.

Why is job analysis important for litigation and fairness?

It helps determine if a test or evaluation process is discriminatory and ensures equitable pay for those doing the same work.

What methods are typically involved in job analysis?

Methods include interviews with SMEs, surveys, observation, and referencing databases on KSAOs.

What does KSAO stand for?

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other characteristics necessary for a job.

What are the two main approaches to job analysis?

Task-oriented and worker-oriented approaches.

What is a task-oriented job analysis focused on?

It focuses on creating statements of tasks involved in the job and what those tasks accomplish.

What does a worker-oriented job analysis emphasize?

It emphasizes the attributes of the worker needed to complete job tasks.

Which job analysis approach is typically more used in practice?

The worker-oriented approach is typically more used due to changing job tasks with new technology.

What is a job description?

A profile of a job opening that an organization needs to fill.

What are the steps involved in a job analysis assignment?

Identify the job and SME, refer to O*NET, develop interview questions, and generate a list of major duties.

What is the purpose of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)?

The PAQ is a validated, reliable questionnaire that describes key job roles and requirements.

What does the Age Discrimination in Employment Act protect?

It protects individuals who are 40 years of age and older from employment discrimination.

What is reliability in the context of psychological measurement?

Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure across different instances.

What are the types of validity in psychological testing?

Criterion-related validity, content-related validity, and construct-related validity.

What is the role of psychometrics in Industrial-Organizational Psychology?

Psychometrics involves the measurement of psychological constructs and ensuring the validity and reliability of these measures.

What is the purpose of job analysis in I-O psychology?

To identify the requirements and responsibilities of a job to inform selection, training, and performance management.

What is the difference between adverse impact and disparate treatment?

Adverse impact refers to neutral policies that result in discrimination, while disparate treatment refers to unfair treatment of individuals based on protected characteristics.

What is the significance of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935?

It protects the rights of employees to organize and engage in collective bargaining.

What is the importance of ecological validity in research?

Ecological validity refers to how well the findings of a study can be generalized to real-world settings.

What does the term 'construct validity' refer to?

It refers to whether a test measures the theoretical construct it is intended to measure.

What is a longitudinal study?

A research design that involves repeated observations of the same variables over long periods.

What is the purpose of triangulation in research?

To use multiple methods or data sources to enhance the credibility and validity of research findings.

What is the role of leadership development in organizations?

To prepare individuals for leadership roles and improve their ability to manage and lead teams effectively.

What is the significance of the term 'organizational behavior'?

It refers to the study of how people interact within groups and organizations.

What are the implications of increasing workforce diversity?

It can lead to improved creativity, problem-solving, and decision-making within organizations.

What is the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal studies?

Cross-sectional studies observe subjects at one point in time, while longitudinal studies observe subjects over extended periods.

What does the term 'validity' mean in psychological testing?

Validity refers to the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure.

What are the four components of KSAOs?

Knowledge (related facts), Skills (ability to perform tasks), Abilities (stable behaviors), Other (interests, personality, training).

What is a task-oriented job analysis?

A statement of tasks involved in a job and how they are accomplished.

What is a worker-oriented job analysis?

Focuses on the attributes of workers needed to perform job tasks, emphasizing KSAOs.

Why is job analysis important for recruitment?

It helps ensure that the right candidates are selected based on the necessary KSAOs.

What is competency modeling?

A process that identifies the KSAOs needed for success across multiple jobs within an organization.

What are some methods to gather information for job analysis?

Interviews with SMEs, position analysis questionnaires (PAQ), observations, and critical incident techniques.

What are the types of individual differences relevant to job performance?

Interests, knowledge, skills, personality, cognitive abilities, and intelligence.

What is the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)?

An intelligence test that measures verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed.

How does cognitive ability relate to job performance?

Cognitive ability predicts a portion of job performance variability, with higher complexity jobs showing greater correlation.

What is the Big Five personality model?

A model that includes Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

How does conscientiousness affect job performance?

Conscientiousness is positively correlated with job performance, motivation, and job satisfaction.

What is the importance of understanding job demands in compensation?

To ensure fair compensation that reflects the demands and responsibilities of the job.

What is the critical incident technique in job analysis?

A method that identifies key moments that significantly impact job performance.

What is the significance of training in relation to KSAOs?

Identifying which KSAOs can be trained helps focus on areas prone to error in job performance.