Personality testing in the workplace

One way to understand individual differences relationship to work-related behaviour is the applied literature on personality testing in the workplace. Psychological tests, attempting to measure individual differences related to occupational behaviours, have been used for over 90 years, and there now exist nearly 80,000 occupational-related tests. Both world wars, particularly the second, were very important for the “testing business” and most armed services are still active users of psychological tests for selection and training. Selectors have to find fighter pilots and bomb disposal experts, as well as cooks, administrators and military police. With conscription they have to reliably and efficiently determine an individual’s potential to do these military jobs effectively.