Measuring Personality through Images: Validating a Forced-Choice Image-Based Assessment of the Big Five Personality Traits.

Airlie Hilliard,Theodoros Bitsakis,Franziska Leutner,Emre Kazim

doi:10.3390/jintelligence10010012

Airlie Hilliard, Theodoros Bitsakis + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence10010012

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Abstract

Selection methods are commonly used in talent acquisition to predict future job performance and to find the best candidates, but questionnaire-based assessments can be lengthy and lead to candidate fatigue and poor engagement, affecting completion rates and producing poor data. Gamification can mitigate some of these issues through greater engagement and shorter testing times. One avenue of gamification is image-based tests. Although such assessments are starting to gain traction in personnel selection, few studies describing their validity and psychometric properties exist. The current study explores the potential of a five-minute, forced-choice, image-based assessment of the Big Five personality traits to be used in selection. Study 1 describes the creation of the image pairs and the selection of the 150 best-performing items based on a sample of 300 respondents. Study 2 describes the creation of machine-learning-based scoring algorithms and tests of their convergent and discriminate validity and adverse impact based on a sample of 431 respondents. All models showed good levels of convergent validity with the IPIP-NEO-120 (openness r = 0.71, conscientiousness r = 0.70, extraversion r = 0.78, agreeableness r = 0.60, and emotional stability r = 0.70) and were largely free from potential adverse impact. The implications for recruitment policy and practice and the need for further validation are discussed.

Highlights

Published: 7 February 2022This article explores the potential for measuring the personality of job applicants through their image choices using a novel measure whereby respondents are asked to indicate which image in a pair is more like them
While we note that further investigation is needed into the assessment and in particular its lower discriminant validity compared to questionnaire-based measures, our preliminary findings demonstrate that a forced-choice, image-based assessment has the potential to be a valid way of measuring the personality of applicants following further validation
We suggest some areas for further research before this assessment can be deployed in practice, and the implications that our preliminary findings may have for the use of image-based measures of personality in selection

Summary

Introduction

This article explores the potential for measuring the personality of job applicants through their image choices using a novel measure whereby respondents are asked to indicate which image in a pair is more like them. Since applicant perceptions of the selection process can influence whether an applicant is likely to accept a job offer (Hausknecht et al 2004), applicant experience is pertinent for both applicants and hiring teams. Image-based formats might increase engagement and thereby applicant perception, as they increase satisfaction and elicit stronger responses compared with questionnaire-based measures (Downes-Le Guin et al 2012; Meissner and Rothermund 2015). The purpose of this article is to address this lack of validation in the research regarding image-based assessments of personality, those created for use in selection.

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