Racial differences in validity of employment tests: Reality or illusion?

Abstract

Tested the fit of data on single-group validity of 19 employment tests to a statistical model assuming equal true validites for blacks and whites. For both subjective and objective criterion measures, observed frequencies of both kinds of single-group validity (significant for whites but not for blacks and vice versa) were not significantly different from those predicted by the null differences model. These findings cast serious doubt on the existence of single-group and differential validity as substantive phenomena. It is concluded that psychologists concerned with the applicability of employment tests to minority groups should direct their future efforts to the study and determination of test fairness rather than to the problem of racial differences in test validity. (20 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)