1. Instructions: Please provide a Summary of Chapter 6.

   ( Human Resource Selection, 8th Edition Ebook Author(s): Robert D. Gatewood, Hubert S. Field chapter 6). FUNDAMENTALS OF MEASUREMENT: AN OVERVIEW An important assumption in selection decision making is that information is available for making these decisions. But, what types of information can be used? Where does this information come from? What characteristics should this information have to be most useful for human resource (HR) selection purposes? This chapter addresses such questions. Specifically, we focus on the (a) basics of psychological measurement as they apply to HR selection; and (b) locating, developing, and interpreting measures commonly used in HR selection. THE ROLE OF MEASUREMENT IN HR SELECTIONIf you have watched competent carpenters build a house or a piece of furniture, you cannot help being impressed by how well the various pieces fit together. For example, when a door is hung in place, it has a snug fit with its frame. Or perhaps you made a trip to the clinic where you watched a veterinarian save Taco, your Toy Manchester dog, who was attacked by a neighbors dog. What makes a skilled carpenter and your vet so skilled and successful? Although many things contribute to the success of a carpenter installing a door and a veterinarian dealing with a pet emergency, one factor common to the success of both is their ability to employ measurement. How could a door be made to fit if a carpenter could not determine the exact dimensions of the opening? How could your vet operate on Taco if she did not understand anatomy, physiology, and the depth needed for an incision? Neither could be done without measurement. As we will see, measurement is also essential to the successful implementation and administration of an HR selection program.The Nature of MeasurementImagine for a moment, you are in charge of employment for a large company. You have an opening for the position of sales representative. Because of current economic conditions and the nature of the job, many people are interested. Numerous candidates submit an application; complete a sales ability test; and interview for the job. After several days of assessing applicants, you draw at least one obvious conclusion (in fact, it is a basic law of HR selection): People are different. As you think about the applicants, you notice that some are talkative, some are shy, some are neat and professionally dressed, and others are sloppy and shabbily dressed. After interviewing them, you observe that some applicants seem intelligent and others dim-witted; some seem dependable and achievement-oriented, while others appear irresponsible and aimless. Although classifying individuals in these extreme categories may be useful for describing people in general, it may not be useful for choosing among applicants. In a personnel selection context, you find that few people fall into these extreme categories. For example, only a few of our applicants will be extremely bright, and only a few extremely dull. For the many others, you will need some way to make finer distinctions among them with regard to the various characteristics that are of interest to you (intelligence, extraversion, conscientiousness, and so on).You will need to use measurement to make these discriminations and to study in detail the relationship between applicant characteristics and employee performance on the job.A DefinitionBut, what is measurement? Numerous writings have examined the topic; some emphasize the meaning of measurement, others address methods involved in applying measurement. From the perspective of human resource selection, we offer one definition. Simply put, measurement involves the systematic application of rules for assigning numbers to objects (usually, people) to represent the quantities of a persons attributes or traits.1Lets explore this definition.Rules suggest that the basis for assigning numbers is clearly specified and consistently applied. For any measures we might use in selection, for instance, a test, it is important that different users who use the test administer it under the same conditions and score it in the same manner as all other users. Therefore, when job applicants take a test, differences among applicants' scores should be due to individual differences in test performance. Score differences should not be due to the way in which different users administered the test under different test-taking conditions or to how administrators scored the test in a different manner. Rules for assigning numbers to our selection measures help to standardize the scoring of these measures. The use of scoring rules shows that measurement is not an end but a means in the process of assessing an individuals standing on a job-related characteristic.The second point in our definition involves the concept of an attribute. In HR selection, when we measure a person, we usually do not measure the person per se; rather, we assess an attribute or trait of the person. Physical attributes, such as gender, usually can be assessed through direct observation.Psychological attributes or constructs, however, are not directly observable. Psychological constructs, such as conscientiousness and intelligence, must be inferred from a score (consisting of numbers or units of measurement)on a measure that represents an individuals standing on these unobserved psychologicalattributes.2A score on a mathematics test is a number that reflects a job applicants mathematical ability, as defined by the content of that test. With our test, we are not measuring the applicant but the applicants mathematical ability. Notice that in our description we have not talked about how well we measure an attribute. Obviously, if we want to measure mathematical ability, we want a score (from a test, for example) that is a good measure of this ability. Obtaining a good measure of these elusive but critical psychological attributes (such as various competencies, knowledge, skills, abilities, personality, and other relevant characteristics) is not always easy. Yet, most often, it is psychological rather than physical traits that are indicators of how job candidates will behave on a job.

   All summaries of the assigned weekly chapters must be at least 300 words as thought-out responses are required. The assignments should represent the students careful, thoughtful efforts to cover the key elements of the topic thoroughly.

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