Abstract
Mael's taxonomy of biodata item attributes is applied to two biodata instruments in order to investigate the relationship between item attributes and (1) validity and (2) socially desirable responding. The results show a strong relationship between item attributes and validity, with items that are more historical, external, objective, discrete, and verifiable and less job relevant displaying stronger validities. Weaker relationships are observed between the item attributes and socially desirable responding. Implications of these results for building a “clearinghouse for documentation of objective biodata items” is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Asher, J.J. (1972). The biographical item: Can it be improved? Personnel Psychology, 25, 251–269.
Barge, B.N. (1987). Characteristics of biodata items and their relationship to validity. Paper presented at the 95th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, New York.
Becker, T.E., & Colquitt, A.L. (1992). Potential versus actual faking of a biodata form: An analysis along several dimensions of item type. Personnel Psychology, 45, 389–406.
Cohen, J., & Cohen, P. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (second edition). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Crowne, D.P., & Marlowe, D. (1964). The approval motive. New York: Wiley.
England, G.W. (1971). Development and use of weighted application blanks. Minneapolis: Industrial Relations Center, University of Minnesota.
Hogan, J.B. (1994). Empirical keying of background data measures. In G.S. Stokes, M.D. Mumford, & W.A. Owens (Eds.), Biodata handbook: Theory, research and use of biographical information in selection and performance prediction (pp. 69–107). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Hough, L., & Paullin, C. (1994). Construct-oriented scale construction: The rational approach. In G.S. Stokes, M.D. Mumford, & W.A. Owens (Eds.), Biodata handbook: Theory, research and use of biographical information in selection and performance prediction (pp. 109–145). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Mael, F.A. (1991). A conceptual rationale for the domain and attributes of biodata items. Personnel Psychology, 44, 763–792.
Paulhus, D.L. (1984). Two-component models of socially desirable responding. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 598–609.
Reilly, R.R., & Chao, G. (1982). Validity and fairness of some alternative employee selection procedures. Personnel Psychology, 35, 1–63.
Rothstein, H.R., Schmidt, F.L., Erwin, F.W., Owens, W.A., & Sparks, P.P. (1990). Biographical data in employment selection: Can validities be made generalizable? Journal of Applied Psychology, 75, 175–184.
Zerbe, W.J., & Paulhus, D.L. (1987). Socially desirable responding in organizational behavior: A reconception. Academy of Management Review, 12, 250–264.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McManus, M.A., Masztal, J.J. The Impact of Biodata Item Attributes on Validity and Socially Desirable Responding. Journal of Business and Psychology 13, 437–446 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022986602515
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022986602515