Performance Evaluation Tests for Environmental Research (Peter): Wonderlic Personnel Test

Abstract

To ascertain the suitability of the Wonderlic Personnel Test for inclusion in a battery of Performance Evaluation Tests for Environmental Research (PETER) parallel forms were administered daily, without coaching or feedback, for 19 consecutive work days to 13 Navy enlisted men who were high school graduates. Over Days 1 to 10 and 18 to 19, unique forms were administered; forms were repeated over Days 11 to 17. The mean score significantly increased from about 23 to 29 amounting to 0.7 standard score units. Subsequent to Day 4, the change in performance was linear and accounted for 57% of the Days 5 to 19 variation. The standard deviations were homogeneous over all repeated and unrepeated days, and the reliability correlations were differentially stable across all days, with a task definition of r = .70. The group mean increase of more than 21 percentile points on the Wonderlic has implications for selection and counseling. It is noteworthy that the average subject in our group scored equal to “stenographer” or “draftsman” on the first occasion but typical of “engineer” or “accountant” on the last. It was concluded that the Wonderlic is suitable for inclusion in PETER.