Validation of employment tests for telephone company installation and repair occupations.

Abstract

Test validation data for telephone company installation and repair occupations are presented. Criteria used are proficiency measures obtained from a Learning Assessment Program (LAP), which is described. The samples consist of employees, 211 minority and 219 nonminority, of five geographically spread telephone companies. Five aptitude tests were administered at or immediately following employment. The 5s went through the LAP prior to obtaining onthe-job experience. Test scores were correlated with the proficiency measures and the coefficients for minority and nonminority 5s compared. All of the tests are significantly predictive of success in the LAP, and correlation coefficients for the two samples are comparable. Regression equations for the two samples were also compared. The slopes are nearly identical, though the intercepts differ. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Employment Test Validation for Minority and Nonminority Production Workers

“…Thus, the absence of differential validity suggests that the tests were fair for the ethnic groups. Similar results regarding differential validity for ethnic groups have been found by Cleary (1968) in predicting scholastic performance of students, Grant and Bray (1970) in predicting job proficiency of telephone company installation and repair workers, and Tenopyr (1967) in predicting training success of airline employees. Boehm's (1972) comprehensive review of studies addressing black-white differences in validity of employment and training selection procedures also yielded similar conclusions.…”

Testing Practices, Minority Groups, and Higher Education: A Review and Discussion of the Research1,2

“…In each of these six instances, the use of the regression line based on Anglos alone would again favor, not penalize, the Negroes. Similar findings were reported by Grant and Bray (1970) from a study of telephone company installation and repair occupations. Using aptitude tests to predict success in training, they found about equal prediction for minority and nonminority trainees, but that the use of a common regression line "biases the use of the tests for making predictions somewhat in favor of minority group applicants" (p. 14).…”

A critical re‐examination and analysis of cognitive ability tests using the Thorndike model of fairness

“…Although it has been found that the slopes of both the Black and White regression lines are often similar, they frequently have different intercepts (e.g. Boehm, 1977;Field, Bayley, & Bayley, 1977;Gael, Grant, & Ritchie, 1975b;Grant & Bray, 1970;Schmidt, Berner, & Hunter, 1973). Furthermore, the intercept of the regression line for Blacks is frequently found to be lower than that for Whites, indicating that the use of a common regression line would over-predict job performance for Blacks according to the Cleary rule.…”

“…Studies used to assess differential prediction normally use a combination of ability tests, including not only cognitive ability, but also knowledge and special skills such as clerical speed and accuracy (e.g. Boehm, 1977;Field et al, 1977;Gael et al, 1975b;Grant & Bray, 1970;Schmidt et al, 1973). Therefore, these differential prediction studies cannot necessarily be generalized to characterize CATs exclusively.…”