Journal of Business and Psychology

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study reviewed and summarized the literature on the use of written tests in the selection of firefighters using a sample of 13,418 individuals drawn from 101 samples. For the prediction of job performance, cognitive tests showed substantial validity (.42), although mechanical comprehension tests showed even higher validity (.54). However, the best prediction was obtained by tests which were composites of cognitive and mechanical predictors (.56). Train-ing criteria was best predicted by cognitive measures (.77), although mechanical comprehension predictors also showed substantial prediction value (.62). Tests which were composites of cognitive and mechanical measures showed validities equal to that of cognitive measures (.77). This study was undertaken to estimate the validity of tests de-signed to measure cognitive and mechanical ability used in the selection of our nation's firefighters. Quality selection of firefighters is very im-portant because of the critical job duties of firefighters during fire, haz-ard, and other life-threatening events. Documentation of the validity of common selection procedures for firefighters is also needed given the extensive amount of litigation in the area of fire personnel selection. Campbell (1982) stated that one of the large voids in the selection literature was validity studies on police officers and firefighters. Hirsh, Northrop and Schmidt (1986) sought to fill part of this void through an