A Meta-Analytic Study of General Mental Ability Validity for Different Occupations in the European Community.

A comprehensive meta-analysis of the validity of general mental ability measures across 12 occupational categories in the European Community is presented and shows that there is validity generalization and large operational validities for job performance and training success in 11 occupational groups.

Abstract

A comprehensive meta-analysis of the validity of general mental ability (GMA) measures across 12 occupational categories in the European Community (EC) is presented. GMA measures showed that there is validity generalization and large operational validities for job performance and training success in 11 occupational groups. Results also showed that job complexity moderated the magnitude of the operational validity of GMA tests across three levels of job complexity: low, medium, and high. In general, results were similar to those found in the United States, although the European findings showed a slightly larger magnitude of operational validity in some cases. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for personnel selection are discussed. ((c) 2003 APA, all rights reserved)