Abstract
The authors examined the differences in mean level of cognitive ability and adverse impact that can be expected when selecting employees solely on educational attainment as a proxy for cognitive ability versus selecting employees directly on cognitive ability. Selection using cognitive ability worked as a more efficient cognitive screen. Imposing an educational attainment standard of at least 1 year of college, though, did result in noticeably higher levels of cognitive ability in potential applicant pools than did random selection, meaning that educational attainment does work as a cognitive screen. These results held not only in a nationally representative sample but also within and across 6 different occupational groups. Finally, adverse impact is examined for selection using educational attainment, compared with selection on the basis of cognitive ability.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 696-705 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Journal of Applied Psychology |
| Volume | 91 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 1 2006 |
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Keywords
- Adverse impact
- Cognitive ability
- Educational attainment
Cite this
Educational attainment as a proxy for cognitive ability in selection : Effects on levels of cognitive ability and adverse impact. / Berry, Christopher M.; Gruys, Melissa L.; Sackett, Paul R.
In: Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 91, No. 3, 01.05.2006, p. 696-705.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Educational attainment as a proxy for cognitive ability in selection
T2 - Effects on levels of cognitive ability and adverse impact
AU - Berry, Christopher M.
AU - Gruys, Melissa L.
AU - Sackett, Paul R
PY - 2006/5/1
Y1 - 2006/5/1
N2 - The authors examined the differences in mean level of cognitive ability and adverse impact that can be expected when selecting employees solely on educational attainment as a proxy for cognitive ability versus selecting employees directly on cognitive ability. Selection using cognitive ability worked as a more efficient cognitive screen. Imposing an educational attainment standard of at least 1 year of college, though, did result in noticeably higher levels of cognitive ability in potential applicant pools than did random selection, meaning that educational attainment does work as a cognitive screen. These results held not only in a nationally representative sample but also within and across 6 different occupational groups. Finally, adverse impact is examined for selection using educational attainment, compared with selection on the basis of cognitive ability.
AB - The authors examined the differences in mean level of cognitive ability and adverse impact that can be expected when selecting employees solely on educational attainment as a proxy for cognitive ability versus selecting employees directly on cognitive ability. Selection using cognitive ability worked as a more efficient cognitive screen. Imposing an educational attainment standard of at least 1 year of college, though, did result in noticeably higher levels of cognitive ability in potential applicant pools than did random selection, meaning that educational attainment does work as a cognitive screen. These results held not only in a nationally representative sample but also within and across 6 different occupational groups. Finally, adverse impact is examined for selection using educational attainment, compared with selection on the basis of cognitive ability.
KW - Adverse impact
KW - Cognitive ability
KW - Educational attainment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33745306856&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33745306856&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/0021-9010.91.3.696
DO - 10.1037/0021-9010.91.3.696
M3 - Article
C2 - 16737365
AN - SCOPUS:33745306856
VL - 91
SP - 696
EP - 705
JO - Journal of Applied Psychology
JF - Journal of Applied Psychology
SN - 0021-9010
IS - 3
ER -