Personality testing and the assessment center: incremental validity for managerial selection

The authors investigated the relative validity of personality testing and the assessment center (AC) in order to evaluate the incremental validity of both assessment methods in the prediction of managerial performance. Managers (N = 68) from a forestry products organization were evaluated with an AC and selected traits on the Personality Research Form (D. N. Jackson, 1984). Performance and promotability served as criteria. Overall, personality was found to be at least equivalent to the AC in predicting performance. Personality testing resulted in significant incremental validity over that of the AC in the prediction of performance, but the converse was also true. This suggested that personality and the AC assess different domains, with each uniquely and significantly predicting performance. Promotability was not significantly predicted. Practical implications and future directions were discussed.