Assessor Decision Making Information Processing and Assessor Decision Strategies in a British Assessment Centre

Abstract

A series of analyses was performed to evaluate the decision‐making strategies of assessors involved in a final‐stage assessment centre (AC). Thirty‐eight assessors rated applicants (n = 222) for an engineering sponsorship placement. Applicants were evaluated on four dimensions (Interactive Awareness, Work Structure, Drive and Enthusiasm, and Business Awareness) over three exercises (a group exercise, an individual exercise and a structured interview). In addition, two psychometric tests of cognitive ability were administered, one of numerical reasoning ability and one of verbal reasoning ability. Thus the assessors were provided with two types of information: their own observational ratings, and psychometric test scores of candidates. Analysis revealed that assessors perceived the observational and psychometric sources as distinct and that assessors integrated information from each source differently. Further, it was found that assessors weighted observational information as more salient than psychometric information in their outcome decision‐making processes, although both sources were integrated in final decisions. Interprets results in terms of strategies to reduce cognitive strain, information overload upon assessors and cognitive biases in decision making. Discusses the implications of these findings for AC design and validation.