[IPAC-List] Michael McDaniel's Reference to the so-called Validity-Diversity Dilemma

[Richard Joines]

Mike,

You make the statement that "if job-related reading speed has undesirable consequences such as group differences, one may wish to sacrifice merit hiring for diversity hiring and increase the time limit of the exam."

I guess the question for those who think I/O Psychology is a science is... how does one reach the decision to throw the science out and go another route?  If the result is lowering validity, I'm certainly not about to increase the time limit of any of my empirically validated tests.  There would be no scientific basis for doing that.

I would be interested in what people think about this and how they view their role and what limitations they think they should observe, but my view has always been to try to maximize validity while ensuring compliance with federal guidelines.  Since the 1978 Uniform Guidelines we've been compelled to look for alternative selection methods, the idea being that if we can find or develop a test that has the same or higher validity but lower adverse impact, we should do that.

However, the idea that we should sacrifice validity in order to increase diversity strikes me as going too far.  Who are we to make such decisions?  We're supposed to be scientists, not social engineers, yes?

Thoughts anyone?

Rich Joines
Mgt & Personnel Systems, Inc.
www.mps-corp.com
925-932-0203

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