The Anderson Profiles employ two screening systems to ensure that participants present answers that are accurate and unbiased. Research indicates that the results of 30% of all assessments, from any testing service, are not valid for a variety of reasons. We are committed to presenting only valid, reliable results. To accomplish this goal we have built two “filtering” systems into our questionnaire: Objectivity and Accuracy.
To screen for Objectivity, we ask questions that describe common, typical human frailties that everyone has experienced. If the individual denies or minimizes the presence of these behaviors we conclude they are “positively biased”. On the other hand, we ask questions that describe superhuman behaviors that are only found in comic books and fantasy movies. If an individual ascribes a number of these traits to themselves, we realize they have biased the profile.
Typical reasons for Positive Bias include:
- Fear – “will the results be used against me?”
- Privacy – “I don’t like for anyone to really know me”
- Intellectual arrogance – “That question is poorly phrased”
- Excessive confidence – “I hung the moon in its orbit on my day off”
- Desperation – “I really need this job”
- Mentally rewriting the question – “What they really meant to ask…”
To screen for Accuracy, we ask questions that ensure the candidate was undistracted, that he understood the questions and replied carefully, rather than impetuously. An example would be: “The automobile was invented in 1960.” The correct answer is “Disagree”, of course, but some Participants choose another answer. Choosing two wrong answers would invalidate the assessment.
Typical reasons for Inaccuracy include:
- Inability to comprehend the questions
- Failure to pay attention
- Inability to read at a 9thgrade level
- Deliberate attempt to “fool the test”
In any instance, we discard Inaccurate results, recycle the password and invite the person to retake the assessment. This is important: We do not create results when a participant is invalid. There are no results in our system and no report is generated. This is quite different from other services which produce reports on invalid results and then add a disclaimer paragraph warning the manager against believing the results. Such a system is confusing to clients, in our opinion.
Those using our system whose results are invalid may immediately retake the profile. Fully 30% of participants will be invalid on their first attempt. However, 90% of them will be valid on their second try. We recommend not allowing a candidate to take the profile more than three times.