2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

1998). For example, nearly all of the occupational reinforcers discussed in the TWA are socially
desirable. Thus, a Likert-type work values measure is not likely to yield useful information. On
the other hand, not all of the work activities, work contexts, leisure activities, or learning
experiences used in vocational interest inventories are socially desirable. These differences
indicate that the best methods for managing response distortion on these measures may differ
depending on whether one is assessing work values or vocational interests.
Work Values
One promising way to deal with content that is socially desirable is to use a forced-choice
format. For Select21, we constructed a novel forced-choice occupational reinforcer-based needs
measure to assess work values. The purpose of using a forced-choice format was to reduce its
susceptibility to response distortion in the operational selection context (Jackson, Wrobleski, &
Ashton, 2000).
However, the forced-choice format is not without its problems. For example, forcedchoice
measures result in ipsative or partially ipsative data (Hicks, 1970). Ipsative data indicate
whether an individual is higher on one construct than another (e.g., whether a prospective Soldier
has a greater need for work autonomy than for a supportive supervisor). However, the selection
context needs normative data that compare individuals to each other on a single construct (e.g.,
orders prospective Soldiers on their need for work autonomy). We are taking several steps to
help maximize the ability to normatively scale recruits based on their responses to our forcedchoice
measure (see Van Iddekinge, Putka, & Sager, 2003). Another potential problem that may
arise from using a forced-choice format to assess work values is that one value in a pair sounds
more like the Army than the other. In such cases, an applicant desiring to be selected into the
Army may endorse that statement regardless of whether they value it. We took steps to construct
the forced choice work values measure to make such impression management tactics more
difficult (see Van Iddekinge et al., 2003).
Interests
Unlike measures of work values, assessing applicants’ vocational interests with a forcedchoice
measure may be less feasible. For example, on many interest measures, items relating to
military-type activities (e.g., I like to shoot guns) are included as indicators of realistic interests.
Inclusion of such items is problematic in a selection context. That is, an applicant who strongly
desires to get into the Army and is willing to distort his/her responses to do so will indicate a
strong liking for such items regardless of whether it interests him/her. Given the specific nature
of common interest items, imposing a forced-choice format by pairing these items with other
interest items would not likely resolve this type of response distortion.
Another factor that limits the potential benefit of a forced-choice interest measure is the
number of items often used to measure occupational interests. For example, a diverse array of
work activities from different occupations may be required to accurately measure investigative
interests. One drawback of this is that it makes it more difficult to use a forced-choice format
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45 th Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003