[IPAC-List] Measuring Fear of Heights

[Howard Fortson]

Why wouldn't you just have it as a requirement similar to say working night shifts.  If after training they cannot do it, they fail on probation.  Otherwise the training aspect cannot be fully appreciated.

Cheers,

Howard 
CPS Human Resources

On Jun 25, 2010, at 11:47 PM, Oscar Spurlin <oscar at ergometrics.org> wrote:


> Many places use a simulation in which they ask candidates to climb a ladder.

> However as a climber I have seen many people with an expressed fear of

> heights, gradually overcome this once they become comfortable with their

> safety protection.  Thus since most people do not have a chance to

> experiment with exposure I believe that this factor can be learned on the

> job and it would be inappropriate to prescreen.

> 

> Oscar

> 

> Oscar Spurlin, Ph.D.

> Industrial/Organizational Psychologist

> Ergometrics Inc.

> oscar at ergometrics.org

> tel 425.774.5700

> fax 425.774.0829

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: ipac-list-bounces at ipacweb.org [mailto:ipac-list-bounces at ipacweb.org]

> On Behalf Of Doverspike,Dennis

> Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 7:28 PM

> To: Mark Hammer; ipac-list at ipacweb.org

> Subject: Re: [IPAC-List] Measuring Fear of Heights

> 

> Mark,

> 

> As someone who has tested a large number of police and fire candidates over

> the years, you would be surprised how many are afraid to climb ladders or

> fire a gun and yet apply for safety service jobs (of course when I applied

> for grad school in I-O psychology I had not idea what an I-O Psychologist

> did, I still don't, and I find that a surprising number of our students do

> not).

> 

> Over the years I have also encountered more people than I would like to

> admit to who obviously have no interest in the job, and when you ask them

> why they applied, reply that their spouse told them to get off the couch and

> get a job.

> 

> That is the one great thing about the unstructured interview. Sometimes you

> can just look a person in the eye and say - do you really want this job -

> and they will reply No and that is that.

> 

> DD

> ________________________________________

> From: ipac-list-bounces at ipacweb.org [ipac-list-bounces at ipacweb.org] On

> Behalf Of Mark Hammer [Mark.Hammer at psc-cfp.gc.ca]

> Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 4:20 PM

> To: ipac-list at ipacweb.org

> Subject: Re: [IPAC-List] Measuring Fear of Heights

> 

> It's hard to imagine that anyone would apply to, and jump through the hoops

> for, any position that involved an activity/task/working-context that was

> aversive to them.  My money is on simple functional capacity.  There's more

> people who THINK they can do a job, and can't do it nearly as well as they

> think they can, than there are people who are afraid of some aspect of the

> job, and go through with it.

> 

> SOMEBODY has to have some sort of virtual reality exercise that mimics

> heights and then asks the participant to carry out the tasks while ignoring

> convincing omnipresent and robust height information.  If they can do

> similar sorts of things with driving or flight simulators, they ought to be

> able to do it for working at heights.

> 

> And if no one has done it yet, THERE'S a market worth exploiting.

> 

> Mark Hammer

> Ottawa

> 

>>>> "Wilkening, Kurt" <WilkeningK at HillsboroughCounty.ORG> 2010/06/25 

>>>> 4:04 PM >>>

> I wonder if they give these power line maintenance folks a phobia test

> before hire? Heck, pilots, too.

> 

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEKbMMHAwm0

> 

> 

> Regards,

> 

> Kurt Wilkening, Division Chief

> Recruiting, Testing, and Certification

> Hillsborough County Civil Service Board

> 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 17th Floor

> Tampa, Florida 33602

> (813) 274-6764 (Direct)

> 

> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE - The information contained in this transmission may

> contain privileged and confidential information.  It is intended only for

> the use of the person(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient,

> you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution or

> duplication of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you are not the

> intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all

> copies of the original message.

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: ipac-list-bounces at ipacweb.org [mailto:ipac-list-bounces at ipacweb.org]

> On Behalf Of Reindl, Kevin

> Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 3:19 PM

> To: ipac-list at ipacweb.org

> Subject: [IPAC-List] Measuring Fear of Heights

> 

> I thought this might be a good question to pose to the IPAC list, since I'm

> sure many of the firefighter selection experts out there have encountered

> this...

> 

> Does anyone do any type of assessment/test that measures someone's fear of

> heights? We have been grappling with this for a while. We have some

> positions at a few of our companies that require employees to climb

> externally mounted stairs to the top of storage tanks (up to 200 feet).

> We've considered a pre-employment assessment where we simply ask candidates

> to actually perform this task. However, the concern for safety has always

> been a barrier.

> 

> Any thoughts/advice/experiences would be greatly appreciated.

> 

> 

> Kevin Reindl

> Sr. People Research Advisor

> San Diego Gas & Electric

> Human Resources

> 8306 Century Park Court, CP41A

> San Diego, CA 92123-1530

> Tel: 858-654-1823

> Fax: 858-654-1515

> Email: kreindl at semprautilities.com<mailto:kreindl at semprautilities.com>

> 

> "This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to

> which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged and/or

> confidential. Receipt by an unintended recipient does not constitute a

> waiver of any applicable privilege. Reading, disclosure, discussion,

> dissemination, distribution or copying of this information by anyone other

> than the intended recipient or his or her employees or agents is strictly

> prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please

> immediately notify the sender."

> 

> _______________________________________________________

> IPAC-List

> IPAC-List at ipacweb.org

> http://www.ipacweb.org/mailman/listinfo/ipac-list

> 

> THINK AT THE SINK!

> During this ongoing drought, every drop of water counts.

> Learn how you can cut water use at

> http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/water/conserve

> _______________________________________________________

> IPAC-List

> IPAC-List at ipacweb.org

> http://www.ipacweb.org/mailman/listinfo/ipac-list

> 

> 

> This e-mail message is intended for the named recipient(s) and may contain

> information that is privileged, confidential and/or exempt from disclosure

> under applicable law. Unauthorized disclosure, copying or re-transmission is

> prohibited. If you are not a named recipient or not authorized by the named

> recipient(s), or if you have received this e-mail in error, then please

> notify the sender immediately and delete the message and any copies.

> 

> Ce courriel est destine exclusivement au destinataire mentionne en titre et

> peut contenir de l'information privilegiee, confidentielle ou soustraite a

> la communication aux termes des lois applicables. Toute divulgation non

> autorisee, toute reproduction ou reacheminement est interdit. Si vous n'etes

> pas le destinataire de ce courriel, ou n'etes pas autorise par le

> destinataire vise, ou encore, si vous l'avez recu par erreur, veuillez le

> mentionner immediatement a l'expediteur et supprimer le courriel et les

> copies.

> _______________________________________________________

> IPAC-List

> IPAC-List at ipacweb.org

> http://www.ipacweb.org/mailman/listinfo/ipac-list

> _______________________________________________________

> IPAC-List

> IPAC-List at ipacweb.org

> http://www.ipacweb.org/mailman/listinfo/ipac-list

> 

> _______________________________________________________

> IPAC-List

> IPAC-List at ipacweb.org

> http://www.ipacweb.org/mailman/listinfo/ipac-list