A reconsideration of testing for competence rather than for intelligence.

David C. McClelland's 1973 article has deeply influenced both professional and public opinion. In it, he presented five major themes: (a) Grades in school did not predict occupational success, (b) intelligence tests and aptitude tests did not predict occupational success or other important life outcomes, (c) tests and academic performance only predicted job performance because of an underlying relationship with social status, (d) such tests were unfair to minorities, and (e) "competencies" would be better able to predict important behaviors than would more traditional tests. Despite the pervasive influence of these assertions, this review of the literature showed only limited support for these claims.

The age discrimination in employment act: a review of court decisions.

Over 600 federal court cases filed between 1970 and 1986 were reviewed in an attempt to discover the major themes and issues. Over all personnel decisions the employer was consistently favored (65%). Performance evidence was central to all cases reviewed. Subjective appraisals were often presented by management and were not considered suspect by the courts. Evidence of management's concern over the age of the workforce (e.g., economic costs and stereotypic beliefs) was also probative. Statistical evidence was presented in a majority of cases. However, inaccurate data and inappropriate comparisons negated its value. Most cases involved a termination or reduction in workforce decision (54%), but the most controversial area involved BFOQ's. A three-part sequential inquiry was proposed that would attempt to clear up these issues. Recent legal refinements may ease the plaintiff's burden in establishing a prima facie case of discrimination. Current techniques from the fields of industrial gerontology and industrial psychology may help clarify inconsistencies in court decisions.

Effects of age stereotyping in a simulated interview.

The effects of age stereotyping on subjects' ratings of interviewee potential were investigated using a simulated auditory interview. Male and female participants (N = 156) listened to a 12-min interview of a supervisory candidate applying for a temporary position in industry and then rated the interviewee's qualifications for the supervisory position. Participants gave higher overall interview ratings to a younger interviewee even though he had the same qualifications as an older interviewee. Ratings given to the older interviewee, however, were not significantly different from those given to an interviewee whose age was not designated. The findings are discussed in terms of the influence of both positive and negative age stereotypes on ratings of applicant potential.

Alternatives to age for assessing occupational performance capacity.

For the past four decades, the assessment of performance of older workers has commanded considerable discussion but limited systematic investigation from industrial gerontologists. Progress has not been substantial; only recently have they concerned themselves with the legal implications of various personnel assessment strategies. This report is thus a critical examination of the concept of functional age in both psychological and legal arenas. Criticisms of this approach as well as litigation that has arisen from the difficulty of measuring older worker performance via functional age strategies receive special attention. It is suggested that intrinsic attributes serve as the basis for determination of the competence of both older and younger workers.

Selected Hand Test personality variables related to accidents in female drivers.

The Hand Test was administered to 170 females ranging in age from 17 to 72 years to determine if specific personality tendencies measured by the Hand Test would be significantly related to incidence of automotive accidents. Results indicated that the personality characteristic associated with DIR was significantly correlated with accidents, but that relationships differed somewhat with age.

Note on preference for stimulus complexity across the life-span.

Preference for stimulus complexity across the life-span was investigated with 175 females ranging in age from 17 to 72 yr. of age. Preference for complexity appeared to be age-invariant and monotonic function. Relationships to previous findings are discussed.

A review of age changes in perceptual information processing ability with regard to driving.

Age related changes in the sensory modalities of hearing and vision, along with changes in the information processing abilities of selective attention, perceptual style, and perceptual-motor reaction time, were reviewed in the context of driving behavior. Literature reported, indicated age related changes in these abilities have relevance for the understanding of the driving behavior of the older adult.

Adaptive training and individual differences in perception.

Four types of training techniques were compared in the training of a perceptual concept-formation task. Adaptive training, a technique in which one parameter in the learning situation is varied so that the difficulty of a learning task remains constant for that individual, was compared to three intermediate approaches to training (self-adaptive, in which the trainees could control their own pace of learning by indicating when they felt they had mastered the problem, fixed sequence, and fixed task). The relationship between individual trainee's perceptual style and various stages of training was also investigated. Perceptual style was measured by the Hidden Figures Test, the Rod-and-frame Test, a Distracting Context Test, and a Cancellation Test. Results showed a definite (time to perform the task) advantage in favor of the adaptive training method. Fewer errors were committed under the self-adaptive approach, but the task completion time was significantly higher. Further analysis showed that for the adaptive-training group, measures of perceptual style could be used as predictors of future task success. No such relationship was found for other training techniques. In particular, field-independence appears to be important early in training but becomes increasingly less important, and for the final training criterion trials, is not predictive of performance. In contrast, the Distracting Contest Test-II, early in training, is not an important predictor but is an important predictor for the final criterion trials.

"Psychogenic" death: a reappraisal.

Social, economic, and medical variables correlated with "psychogenic" death rates across about 30 countries. However, McClelland's psychological motives of achievement, affiliation, and power, determined for each country by content analysis of children's stories, did not. Status integration correlated positively with homicide and negatively with deaths from suicide and ulcers. Low life expectancy, wealth, economic growth, wine consumption, and zinc (cadmium) consumption correlated with deaths from homicide, suicide, ulcers, cirrhosis and hypertension, respectively.