The DOI matches its Crossref record; 56 of the 56 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Validity and utility of alternative predictors of job performance.
Abstract
Meta-analysis of the cumulative research on various predictors of job performance shows that for entry-level jobs there is no predictor with validity equal to that of ability, which has a mean validity of .53. For selection on the basis of current job performance, the work sample test, with mean validity of .54, is slightly better. For federal entry-level jobs, substitution of an alternative predictor would cost from $3.12 billion (job tryout) to $15.89 billion per year (age). Hiring on ability has a utility of $15.61 billion per year, but affects minority groups adversely. Hiring on ability by quotas would decrease this utility by 5%. A third strategy—using a low cutoff score—would decrease utility by 83%. Using other predictors in conjunction with ability tests might improve validity and reduce adverse impact, but there is as yet no data base for studying this possibility.
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“Hunter and Hunter (1984) cited three papers showing that Black people's work performance is similar, or lower, than levels which their cognitive ability would predict.They suggested these differences are likely due to poverty and hardship.”
From Factors Related to Mean Score Group Differences on Cognitive Ability Tests: A Systematic Review (2025) · cites this paper as Hunter & Hunter, 1984
Citations
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Metadata
- Authors
- Hunter, J. E., & Hunter, R. F.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- ORCID
- Hunter, John E.
- Venue
- Psychological Bulletin
- Published
- 1984-07
- Volume
- 96
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 72-98
- ISSN
- 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1455
- OpenAlex
- W2072471610
- Cited by
- 2,107
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 53 · 2020: 86 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 56 · 2017: 64 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 60 · 2014: 82 · 2013: 79 · 2012: 98
- FWCI
- 44.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Employer Branding and e-HRM
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Keywords
- job performance predictors, personnel selection, ability tests, work sample tests, entry-level jobs, federal hiring, selection validity, cost-benefit analysis, adverse impact, hiring quotas, cut-off values
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