An experimental investigation of the Social Intelligence Test in relation to general intelligence and employment success prediction

87 Pages·03.816 MB·English

by  Keedy, Thomas Cornelius

AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE SOCIAL
INTELLIGENCE TEST IN RELATION TO GENERAL
INTELLIGENCE AND EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS
PREDICTION
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
?*v
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
by
Thomas Cornelius Keedy, Jr.
August 1950
UMI Number: EP46399
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This project report, written under the direction
of the candidate's adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Education.
Date.
Adviser
Dean
TABLE OP CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. PROBLEMS AND PROCEDURES........................ 1
The pr o blem.................................. 2
Statement of the problem ................... 2
Importance of the problem ................. 3
Definitions of terms used ................... 4
General intelligence ....................... 4
Social intelligence ....................... 4
Employment success .......................... 4
Limitations of study .......................... 4
Scope of problem ..................... 4
Weaknesses of the investigation ........... 5
Organization by chapters ..................... 6
II. REVIEW OP THE LITERATURE....................... 7
S u m m a r y ...................................... 25
III. METHODOLOGY USED IN THE EXPERIMENT............. 26
Selection of the population................. 27
Description of the population............... 27
Employment success evaluation questionnaire . 30
Intelligence t e s t ............................ 32
Social intelligence test ..................... 33
Administration of tests ..................... 33
S umm a r y....................................... 35
IV. RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION................... 36
i i i
CHAPTER PAGE
Intelligence test results............ 36
Social intelligence test results ............. 37
Employment success evaluation questionnaire . 42
V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.................... 46
Summary and results of the investigation . . . 46
General summary ............................ 46
T e s t i n g ................................. 46
Statistical methods ....................... 47
Analysis of results.................... 47
Conclusions and recommendations ............. 48
BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................... 52
APPENDIXES.......................................... 54
Appendix A. Employment success evaluation
questionnaire ....................... 54
Appendix B. Otis Employment Tests 2A* Test 2-Form A 60
Appendix C. Social Intelligence Test ............. 6l
Appendix D. Manuals for directions for social
intelligence and intelligence tests . 63
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
I. Intelligence test scores for population
showing the standard deviation and
population for each sub-group............... 29
II. Number of men evaluated and mean score of
questionnaires evaluated by each
supervisor.................................... 34
III. Means and standard deviations of scores on
social intelligence and intelligence tests . . 40
IV. Coefficient of correlation of ungrouped
scores of social intelligence and intelligence
t e s t s ......................................... 4l
V. Means and standard deviations of scores of
social intelligence test and employment
. success evaluation............................ 4-3
VI. Coefficient of correlation of ungrouped
scores of social Intelligence and
employment success evaluation ............... 44
CHAPTER I
PROBLEMS AND PROCEDURES
Today In industry, in the armed forces, in the
school system, and in fact in practically every sort of
organization which must employ the services of fairly large
numbers of men, there exists more than ever before a great
need to be able to make adequate personnel selections. One
major contributing factor of this situation is the increasing
cost of labor and the subsequent Increased costs of training
men to hold specialized positions.
The organizations recognizing this increased personnel
selection need have in part turned to the use of various
types of psychological tests to assist in the solving of
their problem.
The basic assumption of all personnel testing
programs is that the test or battery of tests will be able
to predict employment success more accurately and more
quickly than a subjective supervisor’s evaluation. The
technique which is usually followed in the setting up of a
personnel testing program is first, the testing of numbers
of employees who are considered to be successful in a given
position; second, the comparison of the test results of new
men wishing employment to those in similar positions; and
2
third, the drawing of subsequent predictive conclusions
regarding the future success of those men in those or
similar positions.
I. THE PROBLEM
Statement of the problem. The purpose of this study
is to determine the relationship of the Social Intelligence
Test to general intelligence and employment success
evaluation for the purpose of finding the nature and
predictive value of the Social Intelligence Test. To
determine the answer to this problem, a group of one hundred
and fifty-seven men to whom an intelligence test and a Social
Intelligence Test had been given was selected. Questionnaires
were sent to the immediate supervisors of the men selected
for an employment success evaluation. One hundred and
fourteen of the questionnaires from the group of one hundred
and fifty-seven were returned.
The Social Intelligence Test scores were used to
determine the social intelligence of the group of one
hundred and fifty-seven men.-1-
1 P. A. Moss, T. Hunt, and K. T. Omwake, Social
Intelligence Test, Revised Form, First Edition, (George
Washington University, Washington, D. C.: Center for
Psychological Service, 1930).
3
Otis Employment Tests 2A, Test _2— Form A scores
were used to determine the general mental ability or general
intelligence of the group of one hundred and fifty-seven
2
men.
To determine the employment success of the group, a
questionnaire was constructed. The conclusions drawn were
determined by the relationships of the results.
Importance of the problem. Several investigations of
a somewhat similar nature have been made using the Social
Intelligence Test, but the results are not too conclusive.
It is felt that ability to predict employment success
and social intelligence to a high degree of accuracy is one
of the most important problems facing personnel bureaus
today.
It would be of great value to school administrators,
to office managers, and other employers to know whether or
not a prospective employee has the desired level of social
insight, is able to cooperate with fellow workers, and is
able to deal with people in general on an adequate level.
2 A. S. Otis, Otis Employment Tests 2A, Test 2— Form
A, (Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York: World Book Company, 19^3)•
k
II. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
1• General Intelligence. The power to learn, or
degree of plasticity. The power to solve problems. The
capacity to develop skills in abstract thinking.^
2. Social Intelligence. The combined attributes
that an individual can possess which accrue from existing in
a social environment and which are expressed and are
observable as judgment in social situations, as recognition
of mental states of others, as the extent to which human
behavior is observed, and as the extent to which an interest
in others is taken.
3. Employment Success. The adequate assumption of
responsibility to fellow workers, supervisors, and company.
This includes the quantity and quality of workmanship,
cooperation, ability, motivation, mental alertness,
persistence, and dealing with people on an adequate level.
III. LIMITATIONS OF STUDY
Scope of problem. This investigation was carried out
3 Edward B. Greene, Measurements of Human Behavior.
(The Odyssey Press, New York: 19^1) / P • 771.