Review of Choosing Employees by Mental and Physical Tests

Abstract

Reviews the book, Choosing Employees by Mental and Physical Tests by William Fretz Kemble (1917). The purpose and claim of the book is perhaps best expressed in the author's own words: "The following pages reproduce a series of tests which not only will pick out the man of great capacity from among a mixed company undergoing the test, but will arrange a staff of men in the approximate position of their ability when certain weights are assigned according to the nature of their work." This claim seems totally unsupported by results. Kemble not only does not prove in any way that his tests will do what he claims for them if handled by an experienced man; but he gives no accurate and sufficiently detailed instructions; therefore if the tests were given by an inexperienced man, there would be no hope of their receiving a proper evaluation even were the tests adequate, which we believe they are not. In general, Kemble has made a rather unique collection of tests. A few have new features which perhaps offer ideas, but his claim of 90 per cent accuracy and the lack of standardization makes the book of little value for practical purposes, and even pernicious if used by an inexperienced person. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)