I think that “dismissal” is a bit of a mischaracterization. I can try to explain my current stance on GMA tests a little more. All of the research I’ve read that link GMA to work performance uses data from 1950s to 1980s, and I haven’t seen what tool/test they use to measure GMA. So I think that my concerns are mainly two factors: First, I haven’t yet read anything to suggest that the tools/tests used really do measure GMA. They might end up measuring household wealth or knowledge of particular arithmetic conventions, as GMAT seems to do. I don’t know, because I haven’t looked at the details of these older studies. Second, my rough impression is that psychological tests/tools from that era were mainly implemented by and tested on a sample of people that doesn’t seem particularly representative of humanity as a whole, or even of the USA as a whole.
My current stance isn’t that GMA is useless, but that there are a few obstacles that I’d like to see overcome before I recommend it. I also have only a vague knowledge of the legal risks, thus I want to encourage caution for any organization trying to implement GMA as part of hiring criteria.
If you have recommended readings that you would be willing to share, especially ones that could help me clarify the current concerns, I’d be happy to see them.
Thanks, to me this comment is a large update away from the value of structured interviews.
As someone else who casually reads literature on hiring assessment, I am also confused/not convinced by OP’s dismissals re: GMA tests.
I think that “dismissal” is a bit of a mischaracterization. I can try to explain my current stance on GMA tests a little more. All of the research I’ve read that link GMA to work performance uses data from 1950s to 1980s, and I haven’t seen what tool/test they use to measure GMA. So I think that my concerns are mainly two factors: First, I haven’t yet read anything to suggest that the tools/tests used really do measure GMA. They might end up measuring household wealth or knowledge of particular arithmetic conventions, as GMAT seems to do. I don’t know, because I haven’t looked at the details of these older studies. Second, my rough impression is that psychological tests/tools from that era were mainly implemented by and tested on a sample of people that doesn’t seem particularly representative of humanity as a whole, or even of the USA as a whole.
My current stance isn’t that GMA is useless, but that there are a few obstacles that I’d like to see overcome before I recommend it. I also have only a vague knowledge of the legal risks, thus I want to encourage caution for any organization trying to implement GMA as part of hiring criteria.
If you have recommended readings that you would be willing to share, especially ones that could help me clarify the current concerns, I’d be happy to see them.