Ethical Considerations/Intro (9/2/26)

What do we need to consider/scrutinize for test/survey development?

Social, scientific, ethical, legal, cultural, professional, and scientific considerations

What do social factors entail?

Is testing fair? Socially beneficial? How testing affects the society? etc..

What do ethical factors entail?

Test takers’ & survey takers’ privacy? Unintended use of test/survey data etc.

What do legal factors entail?

Legal defense, adverse impact, etc..

What do cultural factors entail?

Can the test/survey be used in the area? Constructs are universal? etc..

What do professional considerations entail?

Is the test really necessary? What is the best way to assess it? etc..

What do scientific considerations entail?

Is the assessment validated? Appropriate development processes? etc..

Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures (2018)

Created by SIOP and provides professionally accepted practices for developing, selecting, and using testing instruments

Standards for educational and psychological tests (2014)

Covers reliability, validity, operations and testing applications

Rights of Test Takers (APA: 2020)

Rights and responsibilities of test takers: guidelines and expectations

The Uniform Guidelines (1978)

Subscribed to the trinitarian view of validity but still important

Divided Loyalties

Special ethical dilemmas arise because of our multiple (and conflicting) roles

Key points to consider in I/O work

Privacy, confidentiality/anonymity, informed consent, data security, fairness in all HR functions, no misuse of data, professional development/competence

Sensory impairments

Includes deafness and blindness

Motor impairments

Include disabilities such as paralysis and missing limbs

Cognitive impairments

Are mental challenges that include intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries

Learning disability

Does not have visible signs and is a difficulty in any aspect of learning