Reevaluation of a weighted application blank for office personnel.

The validity of weighted application blank scores in predicting length of service of female office personnel of a large midwestern manufacturing company showed a slow but consistent decline from 1954 to 1959. After reweighting the application blank variables by the usual procedure, a Pearson r of .39 was obtained between WAB scores and tenure on a cross-validation sample of 208 individuals. Only 3 variables (high proficiency at shorthand; did not leave last job because of pregnancy, marriage, sickness, or home problems; and will begin work on the new job 1 week or more from now) retained their predictive validity from 1954 to 1959. Some of the variables were assigned different weights, and others were given weights for the 1st time. It was recommended that weights assigned to application blank responses be reviewed at least every 3-5 years. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Double cross-validation of a weighted application blank over time.

Reports a 2nd cross-validation of a weighted application blank for predicting tenure of clerical employees. The sample consisted of 199 female employees hired during a later time period than the initial and cross-validation samples. Application blanks were scored using the weights previously developed. A substantial loss in predictive power was found in the additional cross-validation. Changes in labor market conditions, manpower needs, and specific changes in personnel policies appear to be responsible for the loss in efficiency. Results suggest cross-validation of such blanks with samples of employees hired during a later time period and periodic checks on their continuing validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Turnover, biographical data, and fair employment practice.

Used biographical data to predict the tenure of 160 randomly chosen minority and nonminority female clerical personnel in a medium-sized insurance company. A weighted combination of 10 application blank items yielded cross-validated rs of .58 (minorities) and .56 (nonminorities) on a holdout sample of 100 randomly chosen female clerical personnel hired during the same period. Although personal history items have frequently been used to forecast turnover, recent evidence together with civil rights requirements have questioned the validity and fairness of the method. Results of the present study indicate that even after satisfying the legal requirements for using such information, turnover can still be predicted quite accurately with custom-tailored, cross-validated scoring keys. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of clerical turnover in banks by means of a weighted application blank.

Replicated E. Fleishman and J. Berniger's (see PA, Vol. 37:2030) study utilizing a weighted application blank to predict clerical turnover for 100 bank clerks. The utility of the technique was confirmed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictability of employee theft using weighted application blanks.

Constructed weighted application blanks to predict employee theft from a mass merchandiser and a supermarket chain. The weighting samples in each study included 50 applications of former employees "caught stealing" and 50 applications of former employees "not caught stealing" who were recommended for rehire. Each instrument was cross-validated on separate holdout groups of 50 and 100; obtained point-biserial correlations ranged from .25 to .54. Company personnel later independently validated the separate scoring keys twice, each time using fresh samples of 20 cases; correlations obtained ranged from .17 to .63. Results suggest that some organizations might use weighted application blank scores to reduce internal theft by scheduling differential surveillance for potentially high-risk employees. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting credit risk with a numerical scoring system.

A "weighted application blank" approach was used to develop a numerical scoring system for predicting credit payment potential from personal history and financial obligation information. 17 biodata items from the credit application from were examined by chi square analysis to determine which items were discriminating between: (a) those previously accepted vs. those not accepted, and (b) among those accepted, those who paid vs. those who did not pay. Results showed good prediction of accepted vs. rejected applicants (rpbi ≈ .60), moderate predictions of paid vs. delinquent among those who were accepted (rpbi ≈ .30). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Computation of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised factor scores: Equal and differential weights.

Standard procedures for estimating factor scores for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS—R; D. Wechsler, 1981) involve equally weighted sums of the subtests that load most highly on the factor being estimated. We argue that factor scores derived in this manner lack discriminant validity; they are strongly biased toward g (the first unrotated factor) and away from the other 2 unrotated factors. If regression-like weights are applied to all of the WAIS—R subtests and the products are summed, the resulting differentially weighted factors give results that show similar convergent validity and much greater discriminant validity with respect to the original factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validity of Rorschach Inkblot scores for discriminating psychopaths from nonpsychopaths in forensic populations: A meta-analysis.

Gacono and Meloy (2009) have concluded that the Rorschach Inkblot Test is a sensitive instrument with which to discriminate psychopaths from nonpsychopaths. We examined the association of psychopathy with 37 Rorschach variables in a meta-analytic review of 173 validity coefficients derived from 22 studies comprising 780 forensic participants. All studies included the Hare Psychopathy Checklist or one of its versions (Hare, 1980, 1991, 2003) and Exner's (2003) Comprehensive System for the Rorschach. Mean validity coefficients of Rorschach variables in the meta-analysis ranged from ?.113 to .239, with a median validity of .070 and a mean validity of .062. Psychopathy displayed a significant and medium-sized association with the number of Aggressive Potential responses (weighted mean validity coefficient = .232) and small but significant associations with the Sum of Texture responses, Cooperative Movement = 0, the number of Personal responses, and the Egocentricity Index (weighted mean validity coefficients = .097 to .159). The remaining 32 Rorschach variables were not significantly related to psychopathy. The present findings contradict the view that the Rorschach is a clinically sensitive instrument for discriminating psychopaths from nonpsychopaths. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal history data as a predictor of success in service station management.

For a sample of 29 dealers, ratings on 15 aspects of service station management were reduced to a single over-all rating that was used as a criterion against which a personal history blank was item analyzed using a variant of double cross validation. The scoring key was then cross-validated on a new sample of 23 dealers. It was concluded that the unitary criterion was adequate to describe performance, and that 14 of the 39 items in the blank discriminated more successful dealers from less successful, retaining validity on cross-validation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validity generalization results for two job groups in the petroleum industry.

Estimated the transituational generalizability (or "transportability") of the validities of 4 types of cognitive tests (Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test, Richardson-Bellows-Henry Chemical Comprehension and RBH Arithmetic Reasoning Tests, and general intelligence) and a weighted biographical information blank for performance in 2 petroleum industry job groups. Generalizability was strongly supported for mechanical and chemical comprehension tests for both jobs. In the case of the chemical comprehension tests, virtually all variance of observed validity coefficients was accounted for by artifacts, and thus the hypothesis of situational specificity was rejected. Support for generalizability was substantial for general mental ability and arithmetic reasoning tests. It was found, however, that corrections for variance due to sampling error accounted for an average of 90% of all variance due to artifacts, indicating the relative unimportance of differences between sudies in criterion reliability and in range restriction in accounting for variation in observed validities. Generalizable multivariate validities were estimated for various test batteries using beta and unit weights. Finally, true score beta weights were used to estimate the causal role of the 4 cognitive abilities in job performance. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reliable component analysis of the Stanford–Binet: Fourth edition for 2- to 6-year-olds.

Reliable component analysis (RCA) was conducted on the Stanford-Binet: Fourth Edition subtests for 2 to 6-year-olds using the standardization sample. Scores were derived through RCA to assess the Verbal Comprehension and Non-Verbal Reasoning factors suggested for children in this age range. The scores derived through RCA had greater discriminant validity than did equally weighted scores, whose high intercorrelations preclude effective discrimination or incremental validity. The difference scores derived through RCA were compared with equally weighted difference scores in terms of reliability and three types of standard error. Differences between RCA scores were more reliable than were equally weighted differences. The more reliable differences resulted in more precise confidence intervals and more powerful significance tests. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

感应电渣离心浇铸生产H13钢斜轧辊毛坯的质量分析

感应电渣离心浇铸H13钢斜轧辊毛坯中夹杂物分布均匀,最大直径不大于7μm,大部分小于2μm。铸件毛坯的二次枝晶间距仅为400μm,晶粒度为9～10级。结果表明,感应电渣离心浇铸H13钢毛坯制造的斜轧辊,其使用寿命不低于电渣重熔锻材制造的斜轧辊。     

Validity generalization and situational moderation in the life insurance industry.

Investigated the effect of company differences on the validity generalization of the Aptitude Index Battery, a noncognitive, weighted, biographical inventory used in the selection of life insurance agents. Data analyzed for 12,453 agents contracted by 12 companies indicate that although the validity could be generalized across the 12 companies, up to 38% of the variance in coefficients across companies was due to company differences. Further analyses of 2 a-priori company groups supported the hypothesis of situational moderation of validity coefficients. Utility estimates suggested that the net gain in productivity for one company group was about 50% above that expected in the other group. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Proposed scoring changes for the Strong Vocational Interest Blank.

A study of the effect of replacing with new items 102 items in the current SVIB on the validity and reliability of the SVIB. 8 occupational groups were used. The results showed that the validity and reliability remained essentially the same after dropping the items. Also, the weighting system of the SVIB was compared with scales using unit weights. The results indicated that the unit weights keys were virtually identical to the weighted keys on 3 criteria: validity, reliability, and scale intercorrelations. Thus, the SVIB when revised should be scored using unit weight scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Criterion validity of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D): results from a community-based sample of older subjects in The Netherlands

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D) has been widely used in studies of late-life depression. Psychometric properties are generally favourable, but data on the criterion validity of the CES-D in elderly community-based samples are lacking. In a sample of older (55-85 years) inhabitants of the Netherlands, 487 subjects were selected to study criterion validity of the CES-D. Using the 1-month prevalence of major depression derived from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) as criterion, the weighted sensitivity of the CES-D was 100%; specificity 88%; and positive predictive value 13.2%. False positives were not more likely among elderly with physical illness, cognitive decline or anxiety. We conclude that the criterion validity of the CES-D for major depression was very satisfactory in this sample of older adults.     

Determination of Light Rare Earths by a Spectrophoto-metry Based on the Linear Combination of Multiwavelength Data

The present paper proposes a new method of spectrophotometry based on linear combination ofmultiwavelength data by means of selecting a set of properly weighted coefficients and combination methods.It is clear that the weighted combination absorbance attained is only in direct proportion to the concentrationof the analysed component and independent of coexisting interferents.The accuracy of the analytical resultsis improved greatly for the analysis of light rare earths with the coexistence of heavy rare earths.The analyti-cal error from the reagent blank and co-coloration of light and heavy rare earths have also been overcome.The greatly improved linearity and additivity of absorbance are obtained.     

Comparison of three composite compliance indices in a trial of self-administered preventive therapy for tuberculosis in HIV-infected Ugandan adults. Uganda-Case Western Reserve University Research Collaboration

Compliance with tuberculosis preventive therapy in a randomized placebo-controlled trial in 2736 HIV-infected Ugandans was measured using urinary isoniazid metabolite testing, clinic attendance, and self-report. Overall, 77% of urine tests were positive, subjects kept 85% of their scheduled visits while on therapy, and 69% reportedly never forgot to take their medication. Different strategies were used for constructing three composite compliance indices in active arms: (1) an unweighted index of the summed scores on scaled compliance measures; (2) a weighted index using weights obtained from a survey of experts on tuberculosis; and (3) a statistically weighted index using principal components analysis. Composite indices were evaluated for reliability, validity, and practical utility. Understanding of the regimen, study arm, subsequent follow-up, tuberculosis status, and urine spot-check result were associated with composite compliance scores. The unweighted index in this study performed as well as the weighted indices.     

Forming Limit and Thickness Transition Zone Movement for Tailor Rolled Blank during Drawing Process

The process of automobile lightweight can be promoted by the application of tailor rolled blank(TRB)in the automobile industry.Therefore,research on the formability of TRB is of good practical significance and application value because of the enormous potential of TRB in the aspect of automobile lightweight.Aiming at the present condition of lack of researches on the influence of characteristic parameters on TRB drawing process,the drawing formability of TRB was studied with a combination method of simulation and experiment by taking square box as the research object.Firstly,drawing simulation and experiment of TRB were carried out.Then,effects of thickness transition zone(TTZ)position and blank size on the drawing formability of TRB were analyzed.Forming limit and TTZ movement for TRB square box during the drawing process were respectively discussed,when transition zones of TRB were located at different positions and blanks were of different sizes.The results indicate that lubrication condition exerts greater influence on TRB forming limit in comparison with TTZ movement,and the smaller blank size and TTZ being located at the blank center or slightly offset to the thinner side are preferable for acquiring greater forming limit and smaller TTZ movement.     

A validation study of the Worthington Personal History Blank.

The validity of the Worthington PH blank was compared with the validity of standardized tests (Wonderlic Personnel Test, The Personnel Laboratory's Employment Test, Thurstone Temperament Schedule, and the "Dominance" and "Self-Sufficiency" scales of the Bernreuter PI) for a sample of 47 publishing company employees. The criterion was associates' ratings on traits common to those measured by the PH and the other tests. Neither the PH nor the test results were significantly related to the criterion ratings. However, the difference (in favor of the tests) between the contingency coefficients comparing the tests with the ratings and the coefficients comparing the PH with the ratings was significant at the .06 level of confidence. It was concluded that the objective tests were at least as good as the PH, and that use of the latter is not warranted in terms of cost. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Weighted kappa: Nominal scale agreement provision for scaled disagreement or partial credit.

A previously described coefficient of agreement for nominal scales, kappa, treats all disagreements equally. A generalization to weighted kappa (Kw) is presented. The Kw provides for the incorpation of ratio-scaled degrees of disagreement (or agreement) to each of the cells of the k * k table of joint nominal scale assignments such that disagreements of varying gravity (or agreements of varying degree) are weighted accordingly. Although providing for partial credit, Kw is fully chance corrected. Its sampling characteristics and procedures for hypothesis testing and setting confidence limits are given. Under certain conditions, Kw equals product-moment r. The use of unequal weights for symmetrical cells makes Kw suitable as a measure of validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)