Cautions concerning the use of the Taylor-Russell tables in employee selection

Abstract

The Taylor-Russell tables are of value primarily in drawing attention to the importance of utilizing the selection-ratio concept rather than in furnishing dependable specific probabilities of expected improvement in effectiveness of selection. The following cautions should be noted to avoid unwarranted reliance upon low validity coefficients or misuse of the tables: (1) the specific probabilities indicated in the Taylor-Russell tables are quite inapplicable to triangular scattergrams; (2) even when an approximately normal, elliptical scattergram exists, the tables often yield an inaccurate estimate of the prospective gain in effectiveness. This is because the tables assume that the applicant group and the present employee group are similarly constituted. This is equivalent to assuming that at present 100% of applicants are being hired and retained or that our current selection procedures have zero validity or that both conditions prevail. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)