Cognitive Reflection and the Diligent Worker: An Experimental Study of Millennials.
Brice Corgnet1, Roberto Hernán Gonzalez2, Ricardo Mateo3
1George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics, Chapman University, Orange, California, United States of America.
Plos One
|November 7, 2015
Summary
Hiring diligent millennials requires new cognitive tests, not standard ones. The Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) better predicts work performance and reduces cyberloafing than traditional intelligence or personality assessments.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Resources Management
Background:
- Organizations need millennial talent but perceive them as less diligent.
- Traditional hiring methods may not accurately assess millennial work behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify determinants of task performance and shirking behaviors in millennials.
- To evaluate the predictive validity of cognitive ability, personality traits, and the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) on millennial work performance and cyberloafing.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory work environment study.
- Measurement of task performance and shirking behaviors (cyberloafing).
- Assessment using cognitive ability tests, personality traits, and the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT).
Main Results:
- Cognitive ability predicts task performance.
- Personality traits do not consistently predict performance or shirking.
- Cyberloafing is solely predicted by performance on the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT).
Conclusions:
- Standard cognitive tests may assess only a narrow aspect of rational thinking.
- The Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) offers a better measure of diligence and impulse control.
- Hiring diligent millennials may be improved by using novel cognitive measures like CRT instead of traditional tests.
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