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Measurement issues associated with conditional reasoning tests: indirect measurement and test faking
James M LeBreton1, Cheryl D Barksdale, Jennifer Robin
1Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA. lebreton@psych.purdue.edu
The Journal of Applied Psychology
|January 18, 2007
Summary
Conditional reasoning tests (CRTs) measure cognitive biases. Studies show CRTs are resistant to faking when assessment purpose is undisclosed, but scores shift if the purpose is revealed.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Personality Assessment
Background:
- Conditional reasoning tests (CRTs) offer a novel method for assessing cognitive biases linked to latent personality motives.
- Measurement validity and faking resistance are critical considerations for the practical application of CRTs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the necessity of indirect assessment in CRTs.
- To determine the susceptibility of CRTs to faking when the assessment's purpose is disclosed.
- To compare CRT scores across different demographic samples.
Main Methods:
- Three studies were conducted to examine measurement issues in CRTs.
- Study 1 compared CRT scores under conditions of disclosed versus undisclosed assessment purpose.
- Studies 2 and 3 further explored faking resistance and score comparability across samples.
Main Results:
- Disclosing the purpose of assessment led to significant mean shifts in CRT scores compared to a control condition.
- When the assessment's purpose was not disclosed, CRTs demonstrated resistance to faking.
- No significant mean differences in aggression-related CRT scores were found among student, applicant, and incumbent samples.
Conclusions:
- Maintaining indirect assessment is crucial for the validity of CRTs.
- CRTs appear to be a robust measure resistant to faking when administered indirectly.
- The Conditional Reasoning Test for Aggression shows score consistency across diverse samples.
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