Reference no: EM132171159
Various types of tests are widely used by employers today, including those for basic skills, job skills, and psychological measurement. See some of the various types of tests that are listed below:
1. Tests of Cognitive Abilities — Cognitive tests include tests of general reasoning ability (intelligence) and tests of specific mental abilities like memory and inductive reasoning.
Intelligence tests are tests of general intellectual abilities, ranging from memory, vocabulary, verbal fluency to numerical ability.
Specific cognitive abilities (Aptitude) include inductive and deductive reasoning, verbal comprehension, memory, and numerical ability.
2. Tests of Motor and Physical Abilities — Employers may use various tests to measure such motor abilities as finger dexterity, manual dexterity, and reaction time. They may also want to measure such physical abilities as static strength, dynamic strength, body coordination, and stamina.
3. Measuring Personality — Personality tests can be used to assess personal characteristics such as attitude, motivation, and temperament. Tests measure basic aspects of an applicant’s personality, such as introversion, stability, and motivation. Many of these tests are projective, meaning that the person taking the test must interpret or react to an ambiguous stimulus such as an inkblot or clouded picture. (See Figure 4.1).
4. Personality Test Effectiveness
Industrial psychologists emphasize five personality dimensions as they apply to personnel testing: extroversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience.
5. Interest Inventories — compare one’s interests with those of people in various occupations.
6. Achievement Tests — measure what a person has learned.
Select one of these test alternatives and discuss the pros and cons from the perspective of the employer who is making the hire.
If you have ever taken one of these types of employment tests, what did you think about it?
Is there another type of test that you have experience with relating directly to a job hire that is not included on the list?