Psychological Testing in Personnel Selection, Part III: The Resurgence of Personality Testing

Abstract

This article is the third in a three-part series examining the development of selection testing. Part I focused on the historical development of personnel selection testing from the late 19th century to the present, with particular attention given to personality testing. Attention was given to the efforts of early industrial psychologists that shaped and defined the role of testing in the scientific selection of employees. Part II examined the development of methods and standards in employment testing, with particular emphasis on selection validity and utility. We also explored the issues of selection fairness and discrimination in selection as they relate to psychological testing. Part III explores the development and application of personality testing with a particular emphasis on the development of the Big Five personality model and the utility of adding personality testing to the menu of choices for personnel selection methods. The transient nature of models of personality is noted, and current paradigms and the utility and fairness of personality testing for modern organizations is discussed.