If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again: Understanding Race, Age, and Gender Differences in Retesting Score Improvement

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Schleicher, Deidra J.; Van Iddekinge, Chad H.; Morgeson, Frederick P.; Campion, Michael A.
• 署名单位: Purdue University System; Purdue University; State University System of Florida; Florida State University; Michigan State University; Michigan State University's Broad College of Business
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/a0018920
• 发表日期: 2010
• 页码: 603-617
• 关键词: personnel selection; employment tests; retesting; practice effects; demographic differences

摘要

This article explores the intersection of 2 critical and timely concerns in personnel selection-applicant retesting and subgroup differences-by exploring demographic differences in retest effects across multiple assessments. Results from large samples of applicants taking 3 written tests (N = 7,031) and 5 performance tests (N = 2,060) revealed that Whites showed larger retest score improvements than Blacks or Hispanics on several of the assessments. However, the differential improvement of Whites was greater on the written tests than on the performance tests. In addition, women and applicants under 40 years of age showed larger improvements with retesting than did men and applicants over 40. We offer some preliminary theoretical explanations for these demographic differences in retesting gains, including differences in ability, testing attitudes and motivation, and receptivity to feedback. In terms of practical implications, the results suggest that allowing applicants to retake selection tests may, in some cases, exacerbate levels of adverse impact, which can have distinct implications for retesting policy and practices in organizations.