NCJ Number
59081
Date Published
1975
Length
11 pages
Annotation
GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHICH CAN BE ADAPTED AS AN AID TO THE USERS OF AN ASSESSMENT CENTER ARE SET FORTH.
Abstract
AN ASSESSMENT CENTER PROVIDES A STANDARD EVALUATION OF BEHAVIOR USING MULTIPLE INPUTS. SEVERAL TRAINED OBSERVERS AND TECHNIQUES ARE USED. JUDGMENTS ABOUT BEHAVIOR ARE MADE, IN PART, FROM SPECIALLY DEVELOPED ASSESSMENT SIMULATIONS. THESE JUDGMENTS ARE POOLED BY THE ASSESSORS AT AN EVALUATION MEETING DURING WHICH ALL RELEVANT ASSESSMENT DATA ARE REPORTED AND EVALUATED. AN ASSESSMENT CENTER SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER WITH CONCERN FOR THE TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS, ACCURACY OF RESULTS, AND OVERALL QUALITY OF THE OPERATION. ASSESSORS SHOULD RECEIVE SUFFICIENT TRAINING TO ENABLE THEM TO EVALUATE INTELLIGENTLY THE BEHAVIORS MEASURED IN THE CENTER. A FUNDAMENTAL CONCERN IN CONDUCTING AN ASSESSMENT CENTER PROGRAM IS SAID TO BE INFORMED CONSENT. A PARTICIPANT SHOULD BE GIVEN SUFFICIENT INFORMATION PRIOR TO ASSESSMENT TO EVALUATE INTELLIGENTLY THE NATURE OF THE PROGRAM. THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE REPORTS AND DATA OBTAINED BY THE ASSESSMENT CENTER SHOULD BE CLEARLY ESTABLISHED, AND THE INDIVIDUAL ASSESSED SHOULD BE INFORMED OF HOW THE ASSESSMENT DATA ARE TO BE USED. LASTLY, THERE SHOULD BE AN EMPHASIS PLACED ON SOUND VALIDATION RESEARCH. (MJW)