PYC4807
Assignment 3
PORTFOLIO
Unique No: 185521
Due 25 September 2025
,PYC4807
Assignment 3: PORTFOLIO
Unique No: 185521
Due 25 September 2025
SECTION 1: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN REAL-LIFE CONTEXTS
Question 1
a) The context selected is organisational assessment.
b) The real-life situation explored concerns the recruitment of an accountant at a small
South African financial services firm. I discussed this case with a professional
acquaintance (hereafter referred to as Professional A), an industrial psychologist
actively involved in personnel selection. They explained that psychological testing forms
an integral part of the recruitment process, ensuring candidates are assessed not only
for technical competence but also for their ability to adapt to the interpersonal and
cultural demands of a diverse workplace. For an accountant, this entails evaluating
candidates’ aptitude for financial calculations, accuracy in preparing reports, and
interpersonal competence in client engagement. In multicultural environments, both
cognitive precision and interpersonal sensitivity are considered critical for effective
performance.
, Question 2
a) The following academic sources informed my understanding of psychological
assessment in organisational contexts:
• Laher, S., & Cockcroft, K. (Eds.). (2013). Psychological assessment in South
Africa: Research and applications. Wits University Press. This text provides
comprehensive discussions on test use in organisational settings, including test
selection, adaptation, and cultural fairness.
• Theron, C. C. (2009). Public school teachers’ perceptions of the psychological
services rendered by educational psychologists. South African Journal of
Education, 29(4), 475–488. Although focused on educational contexts, the article
offers transferable insights into assessment processes and stakeholder
engagement relevant to organisational practice.
• Paterson, H., & Uys, K. (2005). Critical issues in psychological test use in the
South African workplace. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 31(3), 12–16. This
article directly addresses ethical, cultural, and practical issues associated with
test use in South African organisations.
b) Additional sources of information included a virtual interview with Professional A, who
has over a decade of experience conducting organisational assessments in financial
firms. They shared anonymised examples of test administration and feedback practices
in recruitment processes. I also observed recruitment trends by reviewing job postings
on South African career platforms, many of which explicitly referenced the use of
psychological testing in candidate evaluation.
Assignment 3
PORTFOLIO
Unique No: 185521
Due 25 September 2025
,PYC4807
Assignment 3: PORTFOLIO
Unique No: 185521
Due 25 September 2025
SECTION 1: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN REAL-LIFE CONTEXTS
Question 1
a) The context selected is organisational assessment.
b) The real-life situation explored concerns the recruitment of an accountant at a small
South African financial services firm. I discussed this case with a professional
acquaintance (hereafter referred to as Professional A), an industrial psychologist
actively involved in personnel selection. They explained that psychological testing forms
an integral part of the recruitment process, ensuring candidates are assessed not only
for technical competence but also for their ability to adapt to the interpersonal and
cultural demands of a diverse workplace. For an accountant, this entails evaluating
candidates’ aptitude for financial calculations, accuracy in preparing reports, and
interpersonal competence in client engagement. In multicultural environments, both
cognitive precision and interpersonal sensitivity are considered critical for effective
performance.
, Question 2
a) The following academic sources informed my understanding of psychological
assessment in organisational contexts:
• Laher, S., & Cockcroft, K. (Eds.). (2013). Psychological assessment in South
Africa: Research and applications. Wits University Press. This text provides
comprehensive discussions on test use in organisational settings, including test
selection, adaptation, and cultural fairness.
• Theron, C. C. (2009). Public school teachers’ perceptions of the psychological
services rendered by educational psychologists. South African Journal of
Education, 29(4), 475–488. Although focused on educational contexts, the article
offers transferable insights into assessment processes and stakeholder
engagement relevant to organisational practice.
• Paterson, H., & Uys, K. (2005). Critical issues in psychological test use in the
South African workplace. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 31(3), 12–16. This
article directly addresses ethical, cultural, and practical issues associated with
test use in South African organisations.
b) Additional sources of information included a virtual interview with Professional A, who
has over a decade of experience conducting organisational assessments in financial
firms. They shared anonymised examples of test administration and feedback practices
in recruitment processes. I also observed recruitment trends by reviewing job postings
on South African career platforms, many of which explicitly referenced the use of
psychological testing in candidate evaluation.
