‘Survival of the fittest’ aptly describes the work environment. Employees and the organisations for which they work are therefore required to have various skills sets to afford them a competitive advantage in the job market. This is one of the many reasons why private and public organisations make use of the assessment center, and specifically the behaviour observation exercise to evaluate and select future personnel. Although the behaviour observation exercise provides the rater with rich information regarding a candidate’s skills, rater errors that are often inadvertent can result from a rater’s inherent subjectivity. One such error, central to this study, is Introversion/Extraversion bias. This type of bias plays out when raters rate candidates with personality types similar to their own more favorably than other candidates when the candidate’s degree of introversion or extraversion should not be considered relevant to the selection criteria. This study aims to explore the effect of Introversion/Extraversion bias on the scores of behaviour observation exercises performed during a leadership assessment center in a security environment. The sample consists of 103 participants (14 raters and 89 candidates) all belonging to the same security organisation. The researcher conducts a cross-sectional, non-experimental field study. Candidate as well as rater Introversion/Extraversion preferences are measured by the Jung Personality Questionnaire (JPQ). The scores of two behaviour observation exercises are used to explore the interaction effect between rater Introversion/Extraversion and candidate Introversion/Extraversion. Point-biserial correlations, independent t-tests as well as a one-way ANOVA are used to test the hypotheses. No interaction effect is identified between rater Introversion/Extraversion and candidate Introversion/Extraversion, indicating that raters did not score candidates with similar personality types to their own more favorably. However, the results indicate that extraverted candidates were rated higher by both introverted and extraverted raters and are consequently perceived to have performed better in both behaviour observation exercises. The study postulates that the nature of the exercises, which require high levels of engagement with fellow team members (a typical strength of extraverts), is one of the main contributors to the perception that extraverted individuals are better performers. The results of this study not only contribute to the lacuna in research on the topic, but also to the development of an unbiased behaviour observation exercise within this security organisation. Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: De Beer, E 2011, The influence of introversion/extraversion bias on leadership assessment with behaviour observation, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03302012-154446 / > C12/4/136/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to compare the coach-athlete interaction structures of two competitive youth synchronized swimming teams, one more successful with regard to athletes’ performance and personal development than the other. This comparison was conducted through the first application of state space grid (SSG) observational methodology (Hollenstein, 2007; Lewis, Lamey, & Douglas, 1999) in field-based sport psychology research. Both teams (two head coaches and 17 athletes in total) were observed over multiple training sessions. Both coach and athlete behaviour was coded continuously for the duration of each training session. Measures of coach athlete interaction structure, based on dynamic systems concepts, were derived from these coded behaviours and compared between teams. Results revealed significant differences between the two teams on measures of interaction variability, behavioural content patterns, and the sequencing of coach behaviours. The more successful team was characterized by less variable, more patterned interactions between coaches and athletes. This patterning took the form of more individualized technical and positive reinforcement feedback information and significantly less use of negative feedback by the head coach, interspersed with substantial periods of silent observation. The athletes of the more successful team more actively acknowledged the receipt of this feedback from their coach. The sequencing of coach behaviours was more patterned for the coach of the more successful team, with heavy emphasis on the pairing of technical correction and positive reinforcement statements. The findings suggest that a respectful, deliberate pattern of coach-athlete interaction may be associated with youth sport environments producing more positive performance and personal development outcomes for athletes. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2009-12-16 14:46:55.016

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Navorsing toon dat beoordelingskale, gebaseer op spesifieke werksgedrag as geldige prestasiemetingsinstrumente gebruik kan word om die individuele ontwikkelingsbehoeftes van elke werknemer te bepaal. Die doel van die studie is die ontwikkeling en validering van 'n gedragsobservasieskaal vir senior bestuurders. Vir die doel is 49 senior bestuurders se prestasiemetings verkry op drie skale, naamlik 'n gedragsobservasieskaal wat ontwikkel is, die Werknemerbeoordelingskaal en 'n gedragsgeankerde skaal. 'n Pearson korrelasie van 0,74 is tussen die totaaltellings van die Gedragsobservasieskaal en die van die Gedragsgeankerde skaal verkry (p<0.01 ;N=49). Tussen die totaaltellings van die Gedragsobservasieskaal en die Werknemerbeoordelingskaal is 'n Pearson korrelasie van 0,75 gevind (p<0,01 ;N=49). Met hierdie resultate kan dus aanvaar word dat die Gedragsobservasieskaal 'n geldige meetinstrument van werksprestasie is en as prestasiemetingskaal gebruik kan word. / Research indicates that appraisal scales based on specific behaviour can be used as performance appraisal instruments to promote every employees' individual development need. The aim of this study is the development and validation of a behavioural observation scale for senior management. To achieve this aim 49 senior managers' performance scores were obtained on three scales, namely a behavioral observation scale which was developed, the Employee Rating Scale, and a behaviourally anchored rating scale. A Pearson correlation of 0,74 was obtained between the total scores of the Behavioral Observation Scale and the Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scale (p<0,01 ;N=49). Between the total scores of the Behavioral Observation and the Employee Rating Scales a Pearson correlation of 0,75 was found (p<0,01 ;N=49). With these results in mind, the Behavioral Observation Scale can be accepted as a valid measurement scale of work performance and can thus be applied as a performance appraisal instrument. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Navorsing toon dat beoordelingskale, gebaseer op spesifieke werksgedrag as geldige prestasiemetingsinstrumente gebruik kan word om die individuele ontwikkelingsbehoeftes van elke werknemer te bepaal. Die doel van die studie is die ontwikkeling en validering van 'n gedragsobservasieskaal vir senior bestuurders. Vir die doel is 49 senior bestuurders se prestasiemetings verkry op drie skale, naamlik 'n gedragsobservasieskaal wat ontwikkel is, die Werknemerbeoordelingskaal en 'n gedragsgeankerde skaal. 'n Pearson korrelasie van 0,74 is tussen die totaaltellings van die Gedragsobservasieskaal en die van die Gedragsgeankerde skaal verkry (p<0.01 ;N=49). Tussen die totaaltellings van die Gedragsobservasieskaal en die Werknemerbeoordelingskaal is 'n Pearson korrelasie van 0,75 gevind (p<0,01 ;N=49). Met hierdie resultate kan dus aanvaar word dat die Gedragsobservasieskaal 'n geldige meetinstrument van werksprestasie is en as prestasiemetingskaal gebruik kan word. / Research indicates that appraisal scales based on specific behaviour can be used as performance appraisal instruments to promote every employees' individual development need. The aim of this study is the development and validation of a behavioural observation scale for senior management. To achieve this aim 49 senior managers' performance scores were obtained on three scales, namely a behavioral observation scale which was developed, the Employee Rating Scale, and a behaviourally anchored rating scale. A Pearson correlation of 0,74 was obtained between the total scores of the Behavioral Observation Scale and the Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scale (p<0,01 ;N=49). Between the total scores of the Behavioral Observation and the Employee Rating Scales a Pearson correlation of 0,75 was found (p<0,01 ;N=49). With these results in mind, the Behavioral Observation Scale can be accepted as a valid measurement scale of work performance and can thus be applied as a performance appraisal instrument. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial Psychology)