I-O Psychology: Individual Differences Model

• I-O psychologists assume different jobs need different attributes when applying the individual differences model.
• Individuals possess a variety of attributes that remain relatively stable.
• Those attributes can be measured accurately.
• The Individual Differences Model assumes people differ in abilities, personalities, and traits.
• These differences impact job performance.
• Fleishman's taxonomy includes 52 abilities, divided into three categories.

Cognitive Abilities

• Definition: Mental capabilities related to reasoning, problem-solving, memory, and learning.
• Example: A data analyst using logical reasoning to interpret trends in large datasets.

Perceptual-Motor Abilities

• Definition: Skills involving coordination between perception (sight, sound) and movement.
• Example: A pilot accurately maneuvers an aircraft based on instrument readings.

Physical Abilities

• Definition: Strength, endurance, flexibility, and other bodily capabilities necessary for job tasks.
• Example: A firefighter carrying heavy equipment while climbing stairs during an emergency.
• General intelligence measures assess knowledge acquisition.

Knowledge Acquisition

• Definition: The process of gaining, storing, and understanding new information or skills.
• Example: A medical student learning anatomy through textbooks and hands-on practice.

Reasoning Ability

• Definition: The capacity to logically analyze information and draw conclusions.
• Example: A lawyer constructing a strong argument based on evidence.

Problem-Solving Ability

• Definition: The skill of identifying issues and finding effective solutions.
• Example: An engineer troubleshooting a malfunctioning machine.
• The predictive value of general intelligence tests increases as job complexity increases.
• The Five Factor Model represents how a person typically responds to people and events.
• The Five Factor Model describes the importance of personality in understanding job performance.
• The Five Factor Model is based on both statistical and conceptual analysis.
• Conceptual analysis involves breaking down ideas to establish meaning and relationships.
• An employee with high integrity would likely rank high in emotional stability, agreeableness, and conscientiousness on the Five Factor Model.

Personality and Self-Presentation

• People may not be intentionally faking responses on personality tests.
• Personality naturally involves presenting oneself in a certain way.
• Example: An introverted person acting outgoing in a job interview.

Self-Efficacy vs. Faking

• Some believe self-efficacy (confidence in one's abilities) and faking (deliberately altering responses) both involve shaping how one is perceived.
• A high self-efficacy candidate might strongly agree with leadership skills statements.
• Another candidate might exaggerate similar responses to appear more qualified.
• Some candidates respond as the ideal applicant.
• Example: A job seeker applying for a customer service role may claim they enjoy working with people, even if they prefer working alone, to match what the employer wants.
• Skills are practiced acts, like a pianist mastering a song through repetition.
• Competencies are a combination of skills, knowledge, abilities, and personality that enable successful job performance.
• Competencies involve KSAOs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics).
• A test battery is a general collection of tests rather than a single test.
• Speed tests have rigid and demanding time limits.
• Most test takers cannot finish speed tests in the allotted time.
• The emphasis on speed in speed tests may introduce unfairness because of processing speed differences.
• Psychomotor ability tests involve complex tasks or simple actions.
• Some tests assess intricate motor skills, while others measure basic movements.
• Some psychomotor tests require dexterity which is evaluated through hand coordination and fine motor control.
• Psychomotor tests measure coordinated limb movement by assessing how well a person controls their arms, legs, or full body.
• Dexterity is the ability to use hands and fingers skillfully for precise movements.
• Screen-out tests identify signs of psychopathology (health issues).
• Example: A police department uses the MMPI-2 to screen out candidates with severe anxiety or antisocial tendencies.
• Screen-in tests identify variations of normal personality.
• Example: A company uses the Big Five Personality Test to identify applicants with high conscientiousness for a managerial role.

Criticisms of Individual Assessment

• Individual assessment involves a detailed evaluation of a single candidate using multiple methods.
• It is not as rigorously validated as other assessments.
• Individual assessments often lack large-scale research backing their reliability and validity compared to standardized selection tests.
• Summaries of individual assessments may be influenced by only one or two aspects of the process.
• Assessors may place too much weight on a single test result.

Candidate Privacy

• Individual Assessment may infringe on candidate privacy by collecting sensitive personal information.
• Personality tests asking about religious beliefs or mental health history may make candidates uncomfortable.
• A situational interview asks candidates to describe how they would respond to hypothetical workplace situations.
• Work sample tests assess a candidate's ability by having them perform tasks that resemble actual job conditions.
• Incremental validity is when a new assessment tool (e.g., an interview) adds value beyond an existing method (e.g., a cognitive capacity test)
• Graphology is a method that assesses personality traits based on handwriting characteristics.
• Drug tests most commonly predict absenteeism and involuntary terminations.
• Involuntary termination is when an employer forces an employee to leave a job due to poor performance, misconduct, or company downsizing.
• Individual Assessment is tailored to a specific candidate's evaluation.
• Test Battery is a fixed set of multiple tests used for general assessment.

Explore the Individual Differences Model in I-O psychology. Understand how cognitive, perceptual-motor, and physical abilities impact job performance. Learn about Fleishman's taxonomy and its categories of abilities.