Report of a study done in a watch factory

Abstract

O'Connor finger dexterity and tweezer dexterity tests were given to superior and mediocre workers in a watch factory. As controls, records were available for adults and adolescents in the metropolitan area who were either experienced in or seeking work of this character. Tentative conclusions indicate that: (1) neither age nor experience seems to affect score on the finger dexterity test; (2) speed on the dexterity test does not seem to select successful workers, although it seems possible to determine a critical score below which it is not advisable to hire; (3) tweezer dexterity seems to be an essential skill, and differentiates plant workers from the general population; (4) finger in addition to tweezer dexterity seems to be desirable for superior work in the plant; (5) amounts of improvement shown on finger dexterity seem to be important for selection; (6) quality of finger dexterity is another item to be considered. Practical recommendations are made for selection of workers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)