The Validity of Conscientiousness Is Overestimated in the Prediction of Job Performance

Introduction Sensitivity analyses refer to investigations of the degree to which the results of a meta-analysis remain stable when conditions of the data or the analysis change. To the extent that results remain stable, one can refer to them as robust. Sensitivity analyses are rarely conducted in the organizational science literature. Despite conscientiousness being a valued predictor in employment selection, sensitivity analyses have not been conducted with respect to meta-analytic estimates of the correlation (i.e., validity) between conscientiousness and job performance. Methods To address this deficiency, we reanalyzed the largest collection of conscientiousness validity data in the personnel selection literature and conducted a variety of sensitivity analyses. Results Publication bias analyses demonstrated that the validity of conscientiousness is moderately overestimated (by around 30%; a correlation difference of about .06). The misestimation of the validity appears to be due primarily to suppression of small effects sizes in the journal literature. These inflated validity estimates result in an overestimate of the dollar utility of personnel selection by millions of dollars and should be of considerable concern for organizations. Conclusion The fields of management and applied psychology seldom conduct sensitivity analyses. Through the use of sensitivity analyses, this paper documents that the existing literature overestimates the validity of conscientiousness in the prediction of job performance. Our data show that effect sizes from journal articles are largely responsible for this overestimation

Big-brained people are smarter: A metaanalysis of the relationship between in vivo brain volume and intelligence.

Abstract The relationship between brain volume and intelligence has been a topic of a scientific debate since at least the 1830's. To address the debate, a meta-analysis of the relationship between in vivo brain volume and intelligence was conducted. Based on 37 samples across 1,530 people, the population correlation was estimated at .33. The correlation is higher for females than males. It is also higher for adults than children. For all age and sex groups, it is clear that brain volume is positively correlated with intelligence

Big Data And The Well-Being Nexus: Tracking Google Search Activity By State IQ

In the era of “big data,” internet search activity can provide interesting insight into human behavior. Here we used the Google Correlate algorithm (a database tracking billions of user searches) to identify search terms that co-varied most strongly with U.S. state-level IQ and wellbeing (see Pesta, McDaniel, & Bertsch, 2010). First, we identified the 100 strongest positive (e.g., crock pot applesauce, custom woodworking) and negative (e.g., ASVAB for Dummies, Hello Kitty) search term covariates for state IQ. We then rationally clustered search terms into composites (e.g., “food,” “job seeking activity”) based on similarity of concept. Thereafter, we correlated the composite scores with other well-being variables (e.g., crime, health). Search-term composite scores correlated stronglywith allwell-being variables.We offer post-hoc explanations for the various composite-score correlations, showing how state differences in internet search activity fit within the “well-being nexus” for the U.S.Moreover, we explore how the use of Google Correlate can inform additional research inquires in this domain

Crack Detectability and Durability of Coaxial Cable Sensors in Reinforced Concrete Bridge Applications

The working mechanism and the measurement principle of topology-based crack sensors made of coaxial cables are briefly reviewed. The sensitivity, spatial resolution, and ruggedness of two coaxial cable sensors, respectively made of rubber and Teflon dielectric materials, were compared and validated with laboratory testing of a 4/5-scale, T-shaped, reinforced concrete beam-column specimen. Two Teflon sensors were installed on one of the solid decks of a three-span continuous highway bridge to investigate their durability and measurement repeatability. Laboratory tests indicated that both types of sensors have high sensitivity, but the Teflon sensor has a higher spatial resolution and a negligible spillover effect of any significant cracks. At a 90-degree bend, however, the Teflon sensor is more susceptible than the rubber sensor to the rubbing action of the outer conductor of a coaxial cable against its dielectric layer. No cracks were observed during the field load tests of the instrumented bridge. Both sensors indicated high durability in realworld application but a certain variation of waveforms was measured over a period of 5 years because of the use of different instruments. Future research is directed to develop an online calibration of crack sensors with a small portion of built-in standard cable at the end of the cable sensor

Differential Epidemiology: IQ, Neuroticism, And Chronic Disease By The 50 U.S. States

Current research shows that geo-political units (e.g., the 50 U.S. states) vary meaningfully on psychological dimensions like intelligence (IQ) and neuroticism (N). A new scientific discipline has also emerged, differential epidemiology, focused on how psychological variables affect health. We integrate these areas by reporting large correlations between aggregate-level IQ and N (measured for the 50 U.S. states) and state differences in rates of chronic disease (e.g., stroke, heart disease). Controlling for health-related behaviors (e.g., smoking, exercise) reduced but did not eliminate these effects. Strong relationships also existed between IQ, N, disease, and a host of other state-level variables (e.g., income, crime, education). The nexus of inter-correlated state variables could reflect a general fitness factor hypothesized by cognitive epidemiologists, although valid inferences about causality will require more research.