Assessing the construct validity of a measure of learning agility

• Main Author: Connolly, James
• Format: Others
• Published: FIU Digital Commons 2001
• Subjects: Psychology
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2424; http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3610&context=etd

This study examined the construct validity of the Choices questionnaire that purported to support the theory of Learning Agility. Specifically, Learning Agility attempts to predict an individual's potential performance in new tasks. The construct validity will be measured by examining the convergent/discriminant validity of the Choices Questionnaire against a cognitive ability measure and two personality measures. The Choices Questionnaire did tap a construct that is unique to the cognitive ability and the personality measures, thus suggesting that this measure may have considerable value in personnel selection. This study also examined the relationship of this new measure to job performance and job promotability. Results of this study found that the Choices Questionnaire predicted job performance and job promotability above and beyond cognitive ability and personality. Data from 1 07 law enforcement officers, along with two of their co-workers and a supervisor resulted in a correlation of .08 between Learning Agility and cognitive ability. Learning Agility correlated .07 with Learning Goal Orientation and .17 with Performance Goal Orientation. Correlations with the Big Five Personality factors ranged from -.06 to .13 with Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience, respectively. Learning Agility correlated .40 with supervisory ratings of job promotability and correlated .3 7 with supervisory ratings of overall job performance. Hierarchical regression analysis found incremental validity for Learning Agility over cognitive ability and the Big Five factors of personality for supervisory ratings of both promotability and overall job performance. A literature review was completed to intergrate the Learning Agility construct into a nomological net of personnel selection research. Additionally, practical applications and future research directions are discussed.