Understanding the psychology behind psychometric tests

In September 2015, UK newspaper The Guardian reported that accountancy firm Ernst &Young were to scrap a requirement of at least a 2:1 from its graduate application process. The company claimed there was no evidence that academic success at university was linked to achievement in professional assessments.

EY went ahead and used in-house numerical tests to assess potential recruits, other companies followed suit with specially designed selection tests. While many of these are analytical and aptitude based, a report by Harvard Business Review states that around 18 per cent of companies use psychometric tests or personality tests. “This number is growing at a rate of 10-15 per cent a year according to many industrial and organizational psychologists, as well as the Association for Test Publishers,” the report stated.

TELL ME WHY?
According to British recruitment firm Michael Page’s website, “Some employers choose to use psychometric testing during their recruitment process to help give a better overall evaluation of a candidate and hopefully secure the best fit for the role. There’s some debate over the value of psychometric testing, but those who use it believe that it can give a more objective overview of a candidate’s character, strengths, weaknesses and working style. Typically, a psychometric test will never be used in isolation, but as one component of a wider, integrated evaluation strategy.”
Joseph Paulson, the Co-founder and Director of HR Anexi, a Mumbai-based HR consulting firm told dna that psychometric tests are slowly gaining popularity in India as well, with several of his clients opting for this recruitment method as the last phase of choosing a candidate.
“No company starts with a psychometric test,” explains Joseph. “If a company has vacancy for a position, there are chances that 100 students may apply for the same position. Of the 100 resumes that come to the company, 30 are shortlisted and the candidates are made to take tests that determine their skills. Most of these tests include mathematical, verbal and analytical reasoning tests,” he says.
Following this process, the top five students are selected and they are made to take a psychometric test to determine their personality—see whether they are cut out for the job. In a way, Joseph explains, getting a job has become that much more competitive with this extra test.

LIAR! LIAR!
Established test providers repeat certain questions that determine a candidate's consistency and his/her tendency to lie—the scores/profile reflects this in the report. "Technically, we refer to it as ‘validity scales’ or ‘social desirability scales’. For example in 15 FQ (factor questionnaire), there are 200 questions that one attempts. Eight of these questions measure social desirability. Each factor is asked 12 times over. Additional scales like ‘central tendency’, ‘infrequency’, ‘fake good’ and ‘fake bad’ also provide the tool interpreter with six additional data on the approach of the respondent. In a nutshell, if you lie while answering a well-designed psychometric test, you are likely to get caught,” says Joseph.

RECRUITERS MUST KNOW
According to an article published in The Guardian, psychometric tests aid the recruitment process only if the recruiter knows what they are looking for in a candidate. "Where they fail is when people try to use them to assess things that you can't measure, such as creativity or leadership," says the report.

HIGHER GROUND
Turns out, psychometric tests have over the last decade been an integral part of several schools across the globe, where students are required to take aptitude tests. An article published by International Hellenic University, in Greece, states that psychometric tests fall into three major categories—aptitude tests, ability tests and personality profiles.
Israel is one nation that has made aptitude and psychometric testing mandatory for students. According to the National Institute for Testing and Evaluation, while the test is generally a good predictor of academic success, there may be a small number of examinees who do not do well on the test, but succeed in their studies and vice versa. "The Psychometric Entrance Test offers a second chance to many students with great potential who, for various reasons, did not fully demonstrate their capabilities in high school," says a spokesperson for the institute on its website.
Rohit Sehgal, Co-founder and CEO of Delhi-based counselling centre MapMyTalent, stresses on the need for students to take psychometric tests after Class IX. “In India, most students choose their careers based on external factors. This is problematic, as some of them may not be cut out for a particular career. And once they enter the workforce, many feel that it is too late to change,” he explains. Rohit adds that in the psychometric pyramid, aptitude is the most important factor. “This is followed by personality and finally, interest, possibly because interests can change after a period. Aptitude is the most important, because after an individual turns 14, his/her aptitude is a constant,” he says.
Hemang Laheru of Prism Brain Map agrees that brain-profiling tools are important as our responses are based on how we see the world and react to it. "Success in academics and in work depends on eligibility (technical skills) and suitability
(behaviour). For instance, if a company recruits an accountant who also enjoys a higher attention to detail, then the candidate will be more engaged and productive in the role, given that in the Indian environment the education/qualification is not necessarily based on our preference," he explains.