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focus on previous criminal and aberrant behavior. In contrast,
most biodata deal with behaviors whose revelation would not harm
respondents. Some questions, such as those pertaining to marital
status, age, and physical handicaps, may be invasive if the
responses were to be placed in the employee's personnel folder,
but not if the responses were used only by researchers to
generate applicant scores. An additional reason not to reveal
individual responses and their implications to decision-makers is
in order to maintain biodata key confidentiality.
Summary
This paper proposes that the core attribute of a biodata
item is that it addresses an historical event or experience. ,The
rationale is that previous events shape the behavioral patterns,
attitudes, and values of the person, and combine with individual
temperaments to define the person's identity. Other attributes,
though not defining biodata, may have methodological advantages.
These include limiting items to those regarding external events,
those that only require objective recollection of events, and
those asking only for first-person recollections. Items
involving discrete, unique events, and events that are verifiable
are also favored by some for these reasons. However, these
latter attributes may have their own limitations. Limiting
biodata to controllable life events is seen as overly
restrictive. Exclusive use of verifiable and especially
controllable items may.hamper efforts to cover the domain of
relevant life events, as well as reduce validity. While clearly
intrusive items are offensive and hence undesirable, definitions
of and concerns about invasion of privacy will vary, depending on
the situation.
By attempting to measure historical events and experiences
that may have impacted on behavioral tendencies, it should be
possible to focus on a unique realm of individual differences not
exhausted by temperament and other self-report measures. Perhaps
biodata measures, as presently defined, could be used in tandem
with temperament measures for optimal results. However,
researchers should be exceedingly careful about making claims
extolling biodata's virtues over other self-report measures.
REFERENCES
Asher, J. J. (1972). The biographical item: Can it be improved?
Personnel Psvcholoqy, 25, 251-269.
Barge, B. N. (1987). Characteristics of biodata items and their
relationship to validity. Paper presented at the 95th annual
meeting of the American Psychological Association, NY, NY.
Cascio, W. F. (1975). Accuracy of verifiable biographical
information blank responses. Journal of Anplied Psvcholoqy,
60, 767-769.
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