Validation of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Core Competency Model

Despite its utility, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) revised Core Competency model has not been validated; therefore, we conducted two studies to validate the AFA Core Competency Model. First, we developed a performance evaluation tool, applicable across different positions. We then linked Core Competency self-assessment scores to supervisor ratings of performance to assess the extent to which competencies related to job performance. Although not all Core Competencies related to each performance dimension, each Core Competency correlated with at least one dimension of performance. In short, the results suggest that the Core Competencies are, in general, related to job performance, and appropriate to use for personnel development

Threat of Technological Unemployment, Use Intentions, and the Promotion of Structured Interviews in Personnel Selection

Meehl (1986) proposed that an important factor underlying professional decision makers’ resistance to standardized decision aids is threat of technological unemployment – fear that using the practices would reduce the perceived value of their employment. Nolan, Carter, and Dalal (2016) provided initial support for threat of technological unemployment being a factor that contributes to practitioners’ reluctance to adopt scientifically meritorious standardized hiring practices. This study serves to further develop the theory of threat of technological unemployment in personnel selection by (a) replicating the findings of our earlier research using a within-subjects methodology that is more generalizable to the cognitive processes typically involved in decisions concerning the adoption of standardized hiring practices, and (b) examining if techniques that are commonly used to promote standardized hiring practices inadvertently exacerbate the threat. Results suggest that communicating the utility of standardization affects threat of technological unemployment but not in the ways expected

The Impact of Nondiagnostic Information on Selection Decision Making: A Cautionary Note and Mitigation Strategies

Selection decision makers are inundated with information from which to make decisions about the suitability of a job candidate for a position. Although some of this information is relevant for making a high-quality decision (i.e., diagnostic information), much of the information is actually unrelated to the decision (i.e., nondiagnostic information). Although the deleterious effects of nondiagnostic information on selection decision making have been demonstrated, the prevalence and impact of this type of information is increasing, especially with recent advances in new selection methods used by employers. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to caution selection decision makers, and/or those advising them, to the impact nondiagnostic information has on decisions. We also present different types and prevalence estimates of nondiagnostic information given the changes to the ways applicants are screened and selected. We conclude with suggestions for mitigating the use and/or negative impact of nondiagnostic information

Threat of Technological Unemployment: Are Hiring Managers Discounted for Using Standardized Employee Selection Practices?

Two studies were conducted to examine the tenability of Meehl’s (1986) “threat of technological unemployment” explanation for why practitioners of employee selection resist using standardized decision-making practices. The results of Study 1 support the existence of this threat by demonstrating that practitioners received less credit for the outcomes of employment decisions when structured rather than unstructured interviews were used to evaluate candidates and analytical rather than holistic data combination was used to determine candidates’ overall evaluations. The results of Study 2 support the influence of this threat on employee selection by demonstrating that practitioners recognized the effects using the standardized practices have on stakeholders’ perceptions of their causality/control over the hiring process, and that practitioners’ beliefs about stakeholders’ perceptions of their causality/control over the hiring process significantly influenced their intentions to use the employee selection practices via concerns about the perceived value of their employment (i.e., fear of technological unemployment)

Cosmic coincidence problem and variable constants of physics

The standard model of cosmology is investigated using time dependent cosmological constant $\Lambda$ and Newton's gravitational constant $G$. The total energy content is described by the modified Chaplygin gas equation of state. It is found that the time dependent constants coupled with the modified Chaplygin gas interpolate between the earlier matter to the later dark energy dominated phase of the universe. We also achieve a convergence of parameter $\omega\to-1$, with minute fluctuations, showing an evolving $\omega$. Thus our model fairly alleviates the cosmic coincidence problem which demands $\omega=-1$ at present time.Comment: 27 pages, 15 figure

Dynamics of Modified Chaplygin Gas in Brane World Scenario: Phase Plane Analysis

In this work we investigate the background dynamics when dark energy is coupled to dark matter with a suitable interaction in the universe described by brane cosmology. Here DGP and the RSII brane models have been considered separately. Dark energy in the form of modified Chaplygin gas is considered. A suitable interaction between dark energy and dark matter is considered in order to at least alleviate (if not solve) the cosmic coincidence problem. The dynamical system of equations is solved numerically and a stable scaling solution is obtained. A significant attempt towards the solution of the cosmic coincidence problem is taken. The statefinder parameters are also calculated to classify the dark energy models. Graphs and phase diagrams are drawn to study the variations of these parameters. It is also seen that the background dynamics of modified Chaplygin gas is completely consistent with the notion of an accelerated expansion in the late universe. Finally, it has been shown that the universe in both the models follows the power law form of expansion around the critical point, which is consistent with the known results.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figure

Dealing with Deliberate Distortions: Methods to Reduce Bias in Self-Report Measures of Sensitive Constructs

Psychological constructs are sensitive when they are threatening, have socially acceptable answers, and have different psychological costs associated with disclosure. Among the challenges researchers face when studying sensitive constructs are intentional response distortions by respondents to self-report measures of these constructs. Intentional response distortions are conscious efforts to misreport in a socially acceptable way to be seen more positively. Respondents may overreport their standing on desirable constructs or underreport their standing on undesirable constructs to come across more positively. This tendency towards misreporting makes the validity of the scores of self-report measures of sensitive constructs questionable. Although researchers have proposed many methods to address this challenge of deliberate distortions, a thorough comparison of these methods is missing in the literature. After reviewing seven of these methods, noting their strengths and limitations, a subset of them were compared. Specifically, utilizing a measure of counterproductive workplace behaviors, an experimental investigation of four different methods (i.e., conventional anonymity, counterbiasing, indirect questioning, implicit goal priming) was conducted to determine which method is most effective by addressing two research questions. In the first question, mean reporting of counterproductive behaviors from a 2 (honesty, neutral prime) X 3 (anonymity, counterbiasing, indirect questioning) factorial design was investigated to determine which method resulted in the highest reported mean frequency of counterproductive behaviors. Results showed that the indirect questioning method resulted in the highest mean reporting-the other methods did not differ from each other. To corroborate these results, the triangulation approach to establishing null results was used in question two to determine if the estimates from the self-report conditions corresponded to a point estimate determined from a method currently considered best practice. The proportion of respondents admitting to drinking alcohol or taking drugs while on the job was computed for each cell of the 2 X 3 design and compared to a proportion estimated using the unmatched counts technique. Although the prerequisites for interpreting null results were met, no meaningful null results were found. This study suggests that indirect questioning may be effective at reducing intentional response distortions; however, future research is needed to confirm these results