Relationships between Individual Differences and Accuracy in Rating Air Force Jet Engine Mechanic Performance
Abstract
It is essential that scorers observe and rate performance accurately when administering work sample tests. In the present research and development effort, videotapes were developed depicting Air Force jet engine mechanics performing work sample tests. The videotapes were used to investigate the accuracy of work sample test scoring, kinds of errors made in the scoring process, the concept of rater styles, and individual difference characteristics hypothesized to predict scorer accuracy. Data were collected from 79 Air Force jet engine mechanics at three Air Force bases. Results indicated first that the observational accuracy index hits (correctly identifying task steps performed properly, i.e., rating go performances ans go's ) correlated negatively (r = -. 40) with the correct rejection accuracy index (correctly identifying task steps performed improperly, i.e., rating no-go performances as no-go's ). Second, more experience mechanic raters were considerably more critical in their ratings (i. e., made more no-go ratings) than their less experienced counterparts. Third, relationships between individual differences variables and observational accuracy were in general low; a perceptual orientation test did, however, correlate significantly (positively) with several of the accuracy indices, and a personality scale measuring flexibility correlated positively with hits and negatively with correct rejections. Finally experience level and some of the individual differences variable correlated significantly with rater style indices such as tendency to nitpick in evaluating others.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA211327
Entities
People
- Glenn L. Hallam
- Walter C. Borman
Organizations
- Universal Energy Systems