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Validity generalization: Some critical remarks on the Schmidt‐Hunter procedure *
Author(s) -
ALGERA JEN A.,
JANSEN PAUL G. W.,
ROE ROBERT A.,
VIJN PIETER
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of occupational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.257
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 2044-8325
pISSN - 0305-8107
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8325.1984.tb00162.x
Subject(s) - generalization , situational ethics , test (biology) , variance (accounting) , psychology , external validity , incremental validity , relation (database) , selection (genetic algorithm) , test validity , social psychology , epistemology , computer science , psychometrics , artificial intelligence , data mining , philosophy , developmental psychology , paleontology , accounting , business , biology
This article presents some critical comments on the validity generalization procedure which has been presented by Schmidt, Hunter and others. They have put forward a method for testing the hypothesis that the variance in validity coefficients across situations for job‐test combinations is due to what they consider to be statistical artifacts. The Schmidt‐Hunter approach is criticized on the following points: the compilation of validity data, the use of criterion measures, and the test of the hypothesis of no situational specificity. Further, the relation between the concepts ‘situational specificity’ and ‘validity generalization’ is considered. In addition, it is noted that Schmidt, Hunter and others have defined the concept ‘situation’ in a different way than classical writers. It is concluded that the Schmidt‐Hunter approach to validity generalization shows fundamental shortcomings. As a consequence their far‐reaching conclusions for the practice of personnel selection should be considered premature.