The use of role-player prompts in assessment center exercises

So far, a substantial amount of assessment center (AC) studies have aimed to improve the quality of the AC method by focusing on the assessors. However, systematic studies about the role-player in AC exercises are nonexistent. This is surprising as the role-player might serve as a key figure for consistently evoking job-relevant behavior across candidates. Therefore, this study focused on the 'role' of role-players in ACs. We examined the effects of instructing role-players to use prompts among 233 candidates. Results suggest that role-players are able to use prompts and that their negative impact on candidates' reactions is negligible. In addition, some AC dimensions (problem solving and interpersonal sensitivity) were better measured when role-players used prompts. No effects on interrater reliability were found

Building situational stimuli in assessment center exercises: Do specific exercise instructions and role-player prompts increase the observability of behavior?

Little is known about how assessment center exercises might be designed to better elicit job-relevant behavior. This study uses trait activation theory as a theoretical lens for increasing the number of behaviors that can be observed in assessment centers. Two standardized exercise stimuli (specific exercise instructions and role-player prompts) are proposed, and their effects on the observability of candidate behavior are examined. Results showed a significant effect of role-player prompts in increasing both the general number of behavioral observations and the number of behavioral observations related to three out of four dimensions. Specific exercise instructions did not have effects on observability. Implications for trait activation theory and assessment center practice are discussed

A new perspective on role-player training in assessment centres

The most recent assessment centre guidelines emphasize that exercises should be designed to evoke a substantial amount of relevant behaviour (International Task Force on Assessment Center Guidelines, 2009). However, no empirical evidence exists of how one can manage this This study aims to fill this gap by suggesting that role-player training should be extended via the use of 'prompts' to evoke behaviour. Prompts are standardized cues that a role-player consistently mentions in an AC exercise across candidates to elicit behaviours related to specific job-related dimensions In the present study, role players and candidates were randomly assigned to two experimental conditions In the first condition, the role players (N = 9) received no prompt training (117 candidates) In the second condition, the role players (N = 10) received a training with prompts (116 candidates) Results reveal that role-players are able to use prompts after attending training with prompts When role-players use prompts, candidates also have favourable perceptions of the job-relatedness, two-way communication, and warmth of the assessment centre exercises. In addition, however, the inter-rater reliability of assessors was not positively affected by the use of prompts A possible explanation is that assessors did not acknowledge that prompts had been used

Recruiting nurses through social media : effects on employer brand and attractiveness

Aim: To investigate whether and how nurses' exposure to a hospital's profile on social media affects their perceptions of the hospital's brand and attractiveness as an employer. Background: Since in many places across the globe hospitals are struggling with nursing shortages, competition is rising to be perceived as an attractive employer by this target group. Organizations are increasingly using social media for recruitment, however, little is known about its effects on potential applicants' perceptions of the organization as an employer. We thus examine whether these effects occur and rely on the media richness theory to explain the mechanisms at play. Design: A between-subjects experimental design was applied. Three conditions were used: a control group, one condition that required visiting the Facebook page of a hospital and one condition that required visiting the LinkedIn page. Method: The focal organization was an existing Belgian hospital which had a LinkedIn and a Facebook page. An online questionnaire was sent to nursing students and employed nurses over 5 months in 2015-2016. Results: Nurses' exposure to the hospital's Facebook or LinkedIn page had a significant positive effect on a majority of the employer brand dimensions, both instrumental and symbolic. In addition, nurses who visited the Facebook page felt more attracted to working at the hospital. Most of these effects were mediated by social presence. Conclusion: Nurses' perceptions of employers can be positively influenced by seeing a hospital's social media page. Hospitals can thus employ social media to improve their employer brand image and attractiveness

Measurement equivalence of the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale across self and other ratings

There exist a variety of measurement instruments for assessing emotional intelligence (EI). One approach is the use of other reports wherein knowledgeable informants indicate how well the scale items describe the assessed person’s behavior. In other reports, the same EI scales are typically used as in self-reports. However, it is not known whether the measurement structure underlying EI ratings is equivalent across self and other ratings. In this study, the measurement equivalence of an extant EI measure (WLEIS, Wong & Law, 2002) across self and other ratings was tested. Using multiple group confirmatory factor analysis, we conducted a sequence of increasingly more restrictive tests of equivalence across self and other ratings. The WLEIS was found to be configurally and metrically invariant across self and other ratings. However, there was no evidence for structural invariance between rater groups. Future research is needed to test the equivalence of other EI measures across self and other ratings

Situational judgment tests: A review of recent research

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to give an empirically-based review of the strengths and weaknesses of situational judgment tests (SJTs). Design/methodology/approach - The features, history, and development of SJTs are discussed. Next, a computerized search (from 1990-2007) is conducted to retrieve empirical studies related to SJTs. The effectiveness of SJTs is discussed in terms of reliability, criterion-related validity, incremental validity, construct-related validity, utility, adverse impact, applicant perceptions, fakability, and susceptibility to practice and coaching effects. Findings - Strengths of SJTs are that they show criterion-related validity and incremental validity above cognitive ability and personality tests. SJTs have also less adverse impact towards minorities (especially if the cognitive loading of the SJT is low). Furthermore, applicant reactions towards SJTs are positive and SJTs enable to test large applicant groups at once (through the Internet). In terms of weaknesses, SJTs might be prone to faking, practice, and coaching effects. There is also debate about what constructs are measured by SJTs. Research limitations/implications - Five avenues for future research are discussed: construct-related validity of SJTs, utility of SJTs vis-a-vis other predictors, impact of SJT features on validity and adverse impact, examination of alternative stimulus and response formats, and cross-cultural transportability of SJTs. Practical implications - Practitioners receive evidence-based information about the features, development, and strengths and weaknesses of SJTs. Originality/value - Apart from the USA, SJTs have not made strong inroads in selection practice in Europe and other parts of the world. This evidence-based paper might highlight the value of SJTs

The interplay of elicitation and evaluation of trait-expressive behavior: Evidence in assessment center exercises

In assessment centers (ACs), research on eliciting candidate behavior and evaluating candidate behavior have largely followed independent paths. This study integrates trait activation and trait rating models to posit hypotheses about the effects of behavior elicitation via situational cues on key assessor observation and rating variables. To test the hypotheses, a series of experimental and field studies are conducted. Only when trait-expressive behavior activation and evaluation models work in conjunction, increases in observability are coupled with increases in the interrater reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and accuracy of AC ratings. Implications of these findings for AC theory and practice are formulated

A closer look at the frame-of-reference effect in personality scale scores and validity

This article contributes to the understanding of why the use of a frame-of-reference leads to increased criterion-related validity of personality inventories. Two competing explanations are described and tested. A between-subjects (N = 337) and a within-subject (N = 105) study are conducted to test the hypothesized effects of use of a frame of reference on reliability and validity. Regarding the effects on reliability, use of a frame of reference reduces within-person inconsistency (instead of between-person variability) in responding to generic items. Use of a frame of reference further leads to higher validity as a result of the reduction of between-person variability and within-person inconsistency. Yet, reducing these inconsistencies is not enough. It is also important to use a frame of reference that is conceptually relevant to the criterion. Besides implications for contextualized personality inventories, these results provide an explanation for the moderate validities of generic personality inventories