Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Business

Program Name/Specialization

Management and Organizational Behaviour

Faculty/School

Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

First Advisor

Dr. Chet Robie

Advisor Role

Advisor

Abstract

Personality testing is a popular and useful predictor of future job performance in personnel selection. Personality assessment faking behaviour, however, threatens the usefulness of personality in personnel selection by reducing the validity of assessment results and creating distrust in the assessment results. Recent research exploring a new, computer-mediated assessment response format, the Rapid Response Measure (RRM; Meade et al., 2020), has the potential to dramatically change the way personality assessment is conducted in high-stakes, personnel selection. An initial investigation of the RRM suggests that it may significantly reduce personality assessment faking behaviours. The means by which the RRM is proposed to reduce faking behaviours, however, prompts concerns about the overlap between scores derived from RRM measures and general mental ability. In Study 1, I compare applicant faking behaviours on the RRM to applicant faking behaviours on a single-stimulus response format, and explore the relationship between faking on the two response formats and general mental ability (GMA). In Study 2, I compare applicant faking behaviours on the RRM to applicant faking behaviours on a forced-choice response format and explore the relationship between faking on the two response formats and GMA. In Study 3, I compare applicant faking behaviours on the RRM to applicant faking behaviours on a forced-choice measure while exploring ability to identify job-relevant criteria as a potential mediating mechanism between GMA and faking behaviours. Participants were able to fake to approximately the same extent on the RRM as on a more traditional single-stimulus response format, and significantly more than on a forced-choice personality assessment. GMA did not appear to coherently covary with faking behaviours on the RRM response format. Based on the results of these studies and previous research exploring the relationship between GMA and faking behaviours, I propose a revised model of applicant faking behaviours and GMA. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as future research directions are discussed.

Convocation Year

2022

Convocation Season

Spring

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