INVESTIGATOR CHARACTERISTICS AS MODERATORS OF PERSONNEL-SELECTION RESEARCH - A METAANALYSIS

Surrogate measures of original authors' reward context, primary motiva tion for doing the research, and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA s) were examined for their affect on criterion-related validities repo rted in the Journal of Applied Psychology and Personnel Psychology bet ween 1964 and 1992. Number of years of experience (a surrogate KSA mea sure) displayed no moderating relationship. Type of organizational nee d (equal employment opportunity compliance, augmenting existing select ion system, etc.) and investigator interests (e.g., theory testing) we re related to criterion-related validities. Place of authors' employme nt (i.e., reward context) also displayed a moderating relationship (au thors in private industry reported higher average validities in compar ison with academics). Interaction effects on criterion-related validit ies were found between authors' experience and (a) place of employment and (b) primary motivation for conducting the research. Results are i nterpreted in view of possible differences in ability, motivation, and opportunity to do research across employment settings.