Summary articles work- and organisational psychology
Week 2. Individual differences and staffing decisions 3
Paper 1.The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and
theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings.
Schmidt, F.L., & Hunter, J.E. (1998) 3
Week 3. Performance management 5
Paper 1. On the folly of rewarding A, while hoping for B
Kerr, S. (1995) 5
Week 4. Training and development 7
Paper 1. Improving Student’s learning with effective learning techniques: promising directions
from cognitive and educational psychology
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2016) 7
Paper 2. An investigation into the relationship between training evaluation and the transfer of
training
Saks, A. M. & Burke, L. A. (2012) 9
Week 5. Motivation to work 11
Paper 1. Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives jointly predict performance: A 40-year
meta-analysis.
Cerasoli, C. P., Nicklin, J. M., & Ford, M. T. (2014) 11
Paper 2. The effect of learning vs. outcome goals on self- efficacy, satisfaction and performance in
an MBA program
Latham, G. L. & Brown, T. C. (2006). 13
Paper 3. Learning versus performance goals: When should each be used?
Seijts, G. H., & Latham, G. P. (2005) 15
Week 6. Emotions at work 17
Paper 1. High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being.
Kahneman, D., & Deaton, A. (2010) 17
Paper 2. Work‐related flow and energy at work and at home: A study on the role of daily
recovery.
Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Sonnentag, S., & Fullagar, C. J. (2012) 19
Week 7. Stress and worker well-being 21
Paper 1. Key questions regarding work engagement.
Bakker, A.B., Albrecht, S.L. & Leiter, M.P. (2011) 21
Paper 2. Six Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Working from Home
Ipsen, C., van Veldhoven, M., Kirchner, K. & Hansen, P. (2021) 23
Week 8. Fairness and diversity in the workplace 26
Paper 1. Multiple categorization in resume screening: examining effects on hiring discrimination
against Arab applicants in field and lab settings.
Derous, Marie Ryan and Hannah-Hanh D. Nguyen (2012) 26
Paper 2. The glass cliff: evidence that women are over-represented in precarious leadership
positions.
Ryan, M.K. and Haslam, S.A. (2005) 28
,
Week 9. Leadership 29
Paper 1. The science of leader power.
Sturm, R. E., Herz, H., & Antonakis, J. (2021) 29
Paper 2. Leader emergence: the case of the narcissistic leader.
Brunell, A.B., Gentry, W.A., Campbell, W.K., Hoffman, B.J., Kuhnert, K.W. & DeMarree, K.G.
(2008) 31
Week 10. Teams 33
Paper 1. Sticking to our guns: Social identity as a basis for the maintenance of commitment to
faltering organisational projects.
Haslam, S. A., Ryan, M. K., Postmes, T., Spears, R., Jetten, J., & Webley, P. (2006) 33
Paper 2. Benefits and disadvantages of individuals’ multiple team membership: the moderating
role of organisational tenure.
van de Brake, H. J., Walter, F., Rink, F. A., Essens, P. J. M. D., & van der Vegt, G. S. (2020) 34
, Week 2: Individual differences and staffing decisions
The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical
implications of 85 years of research findings.
Schmidt, F.L., & Hunter, J.E. (1998)
(1) Research Goal
To comprehensively assess and synthesize 85 years of research findings in personnel psychology,
specifically focusing on the validity and utility of various selection methods for predicting job
performance.
→ Provide insights into the practical and theoretical implications of these findings.
(2) Sample Population and Methodology
The researched population encompasses diverse job settings and industries. The analysis spans across
various employment levels, considering both entry-level and experienced applicants.
The authors systematically evaluate the validity of different selection methods, including cognitive
ability tests (eg GMA), structured interviews, integrity tests, and biographical measures. The
meta-analysis allows for the precise estimation of the predictive validity of each method and the
exploration of combined predictors.
● Limitations include the unknown construct composition of certain measures, hindering the
construction of comprehensive theories of job performance.
(3) Key Findings
1. Validity of selection methods
○ Cognitive ability tests, especially GMA, consistently show high validity for
predicting job performance across various jobs and industries.
○ Structured interviews and integrity tests also demonstrate good predictive validity.
○ Other methods, such as interests and amount of education, have lower validity, while
some, like graphology, show essentially no validity.
2. Combined predictors
○ The article emphasizes the importance of combining predictors for enhanced
predictive validity.
○ Two combinations stand out: GMA plus an integrity test (highest) and GMA plus a
structured interview (high), both demonstrating high composite validity.
○ These combinations are practical, cost-effective, and applicable to both entry-level
and experienced applicants.
3. Underlying processes
○ The article delves into the psychological processes underlying predictive validity,
highlighting the impact of cognitive ability on job knowledge.
○ Job experience, similar to cognitive ability, influences job knowledge, indirectly
affecting job performance.
○ Conscientiousness emerges as a significant personality trait influencing job
knowledge and, consequently, job performance.
, (4) Important Concepts
● Applicant pool variability: when job applicants are selected randomly from those that apply
● Selection ratio: proportion of applicants who are hired. (.30-.70)
● Two scales are used to measure the variability of employee job performance:
○ SDy: Dollar value of output; min. 40% mean salary job.
𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
○ SDp: Output as percentage of mean output; 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 50𝑡ℎ 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒
× 100, varies by
job level, large differences.
● 3 important points:
○ Economic value of gains from improved hiring methods are large
○ Directly proportional to the size of the increase in validity when switching to new
methods
○ No other characteristic of a personnel measure is as important as predictive validity
● Behavioral consistency method: looking at past accomplishments
● Job experience → predicts only the first 5 years, does not predict performance in training
programs teaching new skills.
(5) Practical Implications
● Discusses the economic implications of selection methods, emphasizing that organisations
using suboptimal methods may incur significant losses.
● Recommends adopting more valid hiring procedures to gain a competitive advantage.
(6) Conclusion
In conclusion, the article underscores the importance of informed selection methods in personnel
psychology, advocating for combinations of predictors with demonstrated high validity. It offers
valuable insights for employers seeking effective and efficient approaches to predicting job
performance.
Week 2. Individual differences and staffing decisions 3
Paper 1.The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and
theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings.
Schmidt, F.L., & Hunter, J.E. (1998) 3
Week 3. Performance management 5
Paper 1. On the folly of rewarding A, while hoping for B
Kerr, S. (1995) 5
Week 4. Training and development 7
Paper 1. Improving Student’s learning with effective learning techniques: promising directions
from cognitive and educational psychology
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2016) 7
Paper 2. An investigation into the relationship between training evaluation and the transfer of
training
Saks, A. M. & Burke, L. A. (2012) 9
Week 5. Motivation to work 11
Paper 1. Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives jointly predict performance: A 40-year
meta-analysis.
Cerasoli, C. P., Nicklin, J. M., & Ford, M. T. (2014) 11
Paper 2. The effect of learning vs. outcome goals on self- efficacy, satisfaction and performance in
an MBA program
Latham, G. L. & Brown, T. C. (2006). 13
Paper 3. Learning versus performance goals: When should each be used?
Seijts, G. H., & Latham, G. P. (2005) 15
Week 6. Emotions at work 17
Paper 1. High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being.
Kahneman, D., & Deaton, A. (2010) 17
Paper 2. Work‐related flow and energy at work and at home: A study on the role of daily
recovery.
Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Sonnentag, S., & Fullagar, C. J. (2012) 19
Week 7. Stress and worker well-being 21
Paper 1. Key questions regarding work engagement.
Bakker, A.B., Albrecht, S.L. & Leiter, M.P. (2011) 21
Paper 2. Six Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Working from Home
Ipsen, C., van Veldhoven, M., Kirchner, K. & Hansen, P. (2021) 23
Week 8. Fairness and diversity in the workplace 26
Paper 1. Multiple categorization in resume screening: examining effects on hiring discrimination
against Arab applicants in field and lab settings.
Derous, Marie Ryan and Hannah-Hanh D. Nguyen (2012) 26
Paper 2. The glass cliff: evidence that women are over-represented in precarious leadership
positions.
Ryan, M.K. and Haslam, S.A. (2005) 28
,
Week 9. Leadership 29
Paper 1. The science of leader power.
Sturm, R. E., Herz, H., & Antonakis, J. (2021) 29
Paper 2. Leader emergence: the case of the narcissistic leader.
Brunell, A.B., Gentry, W.A., Campbell, W.K., Hoffman, B.J., Kuhnert, K.W. & DeMarree, K.G.
(2008) 31
Week 10. Teams 33
Paper 1. Sticking to our guns: Social identity as a basis for the maintenance of commitment to
faltering organisational projects.
Haslam, S. A., Ryan, M. K., Postmes, T., Spears, R., Jetten, J., & Webley, P. (2006) 33
Paper 2. Benefits and disadvantages of individuals’ multiple team membership: the moderating
role of organisational tenure.
van de Brake, H. J., Walter, F., Rink, F. A., Essens, P. J. M. D., & van der Vegt, G. S. (2020) 34
, Week 2: Individual differences and staffing decisions
The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical
implications of 85 years of research findings.
Schmidt, F.L., & Hunter, J.E. (1998)
(1) Research Goal
To comprehensively assess and synthesize 85 years of research findings in personnel psychology,
specifically focusing on the validity and utility of various selection methods for predicting job
performance.
→ Provide insights into the practical and theoretical implications of these findings.
(2) Sample Population and Methodology
The researched population encompasses diverse job settings and industries. The analysis spans across
various employment levels, considering both entry-level and experienced applicants.
The authors systematically evaluate the validity of different selection methods, including cognitive
ability tests (eg GMA), structured interviews, integrity tests, and biographical measures. The
meta-analysis allows for the precise estimation of the predictive validity of each method and the
exploration of combined predictors.
● Limitations include the unknown construct composition of certain measures, hindering the
construction of comprehensive theories of job performance.
(3) Key Findings
1. Validity of selection methods
○ Cognitive ability tests, especially GMA, consistently show high validity for
predicting job performance across various jobs and industries.
○ Structured interviews and integrity tests also demonstrate good predictive validity.
○ Other methods, such as interests and amount of education, have lower validity, while
some, like graphology, show essentially no validity.
2. Combined predictors
○ The article emphasizes the importance of combining predictors for enhanced
predictive validity.
○ Two combinations stand out: GMA plus an integrity test (highest) and GMA plus a
structured interview (high), both demonstrating high composite validity.
○ These combinations are practical, cost-effective, and applicable to both entry-level
and experienced applicants.
3. Underlying processes
○ The article delves into the psychological processes underlying predictive validity,
highlighting the impact of cognitive ability on job knowledge.
○ Job experience, similar to cognitive ability, influences job knowledge, indirectly
affecting job performance.
○ Conscientiousness emerges as a significant personality trait influencing job
knowledge and, consequently, job performance.
, (4) Important Concepts
● Applicant pool variability: when job applicants are selected randomly from those that apply
● Selection ratio: proportion of applicants who are hired. (.30-.70)
● Two scales are used to measure the variability of employee job performance:
○ SDy: Dollar value of output; min. 40% mean salary job.
𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
○ SDp: Output as percentage of mean output; 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 50𝑡ℎ 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒
× 100, varies by
job level, large differences.
● 3 important points:
○ Economic value of gains from improved hiring methods are large
○ Directly proportional to the size of the increase in validity when switching to new
methods
○ No other characteristic of a personnel measure is as important as predictive validity
● Behavioral consistency method: looking at past accomplishments
● Job experience → predicts only the first 5 years, does not predict performance in training
programs teaching new skills.
(5) Practical Implications
● Discusses the economic implications of selection methods, emphasizing that organisations
using suboptimal methods may incur significant losses.
● Recommends adopting more valid hiring procedures to gain a competitive advantage.
(6) Conclusion
In conclusion, the article underscores the importance of informed selection methods in personnel
psychology, advocating for combinations of predictors with demonstrated high validity. It offers
valuable insights for employers seeking effective and efficient approaches to predicting job
performance.
