An experimental comparison of inventory validity obtained before and after work experience

Abstract

Are responses to inventories more valid when obtained before work experience than after work experience? 2 long self-description inventories were administered to 537 soldiers. The same inventories were administered to 372 members of this sample 18 mon. later and 6 mon. after criterion ratings of performance on maneuvers in Germany were obtained. The remaining 155 men could not be retested and were used to cross-validate the results. 19 short personality and interest keys and 2 total score keys were developed using the before-experience responses and then the after-experience responses. 2 of the 19 personality and interest keys and 1 of 2 total score keys showed statistically significant differences between validities for the before- and after-experience responses. The cross-validity of the regression composite based on before-experience responses was .23; on after-experience responses it was .26. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)