On the Construct Validity of Integrity Tests: Individual and Situational Factors as Predictors of Test Performance

Abstract

Although integrity tests are widely applied in screening job applicants, there is a need for research for examining the construct validity of these tests. In the present study, a theoretical model examining the causes of destructive behavior in organizational settings was used to develop background data measures of individual and situational variables that might be related to integrity test scores. Subsequently, 692 undergraduates were asked to complete these background data scales along with (a) two overt integrity tests ± the Reid Report and the Personnel Selection Inventory, and (b) two personality-based measures ± the delinquency and socialization scales of the California Psychological Inventory. When scores of these measures were correlated with and regressed on the background data scales, it was found that relevant individual variables, such as narcissism and power motives, and relevant situational variables, such as alienation and exposure to negative peer groups, were related to scores on both types of integrity tests. However, a stronger pattern of validity evidence was obtained for the personality-based measures and, in all cases, situational variables were found to be better predictors than individual variables. The implications of these findings for the validity of inferences drawn from overt and personality-based integrity tests are discussed.

Narcissism: An Integrative Synthesis and Dominance Complementarity Model

“…As mentioned previously, narcissism is linked to lower supervisor ratings of integrity and a higher propensity to commit white-collar crime (Blair et al, 2008;Blickle et al, 2006;Mumford, Connelly, Helton, Strange, & Osburn, 2001). Moreover, recent research using business students found a negative relationship between narcissism and moral decision making (Brown, Sautter, Littvay, Sautter, & Bearnes, 2010).…”

Assessing the Use of Employment Screening for Sexual Assault Prevention

“…Mumford et al (2001) found that individual characteristics, including narcissism and power motives, were associated with scores on both overt and personality-based tests. Situational characteristics, such as alienation and negative peer-group exposure, were also associated with scores on the two test types and were more strongly related to test scores than were individual characteristics-leading to questions about whether integrity tests identify enduring individual characteristics, which is their intent, or more-malleable situational characteristics.…”

The Interpersonal Pollution and its Effect on Group Members’ Well-Being, and on Culture of Unity in Organizational Context

“…Several researchers had found that leader narcissism was negatively related to integrity and ratings of interpersonal performance (Blair, Hoffman, Helland, 2008;Helland, Blair, 2005;Kets de Vries, Miller, 1985;Mumford, Connelly, Helton, Strange, Osburn, 2001). Meanwhile Van Dijk and De Cremer (2006) found that narcissistic managers were more self-serving than their counterparts, with an inclination to allocate scarce organizational resources to themselves, and even to the extent as being linked to white-collar crimea (Blickle, Schlegel, Fassbender, Klein, 2006).…”