Psychology

This essay entails psychological testing which is a process of observing over a specified period of time a person performing a certain task that is usually prescribed beforehand hence scores are expected after completion of the task.  These scores are compiled to prepare statistical tables which allow the person evaluating to compare the behavior of the individual being tested to the results of the norm group.  The tests are carried out in form of oral or written interview questions.  The accuracy of the test depends on the keenness and seriousness of the individual being tested.  There are several types of psychological tests which include achievement test, sexological test, attitude test personality test, direct observation test and neuropsychological test.  The personality test is further subdivided into objective test and projective test (Richmond, 1997). The essay show how these tests are used in relations to the managerial issues which covers the processes the organization opt to take and the resources they prefer. Moreover, it show the way these test are applied in evaluating, professional ethic as well as the obligations of the psychologists as they carry out their duties as per their professional code of ethics.

In the past organizations would hire persons who would not work out, they would promote employees into positions for which they were not qualified, they would select executive who fitted poorly in their organizations and they would lose their best employees due to the need for greater challenges from their jobs.  These issues called for the need for the organization to carry out research so as to come up with reasons for the effects and hence form solutions for the same.  The research done proved that in order to ensure competencies in any particular working situation, testing, one of the most valid processes of candidates assessment would accurately predict how the selected persons would perform their jobs.  This enabled the organizations to gain competitive advantage in their businesses industries through finding the appropriate employees.

For any one manager to carry out his duties well, they need to have the best personnel from the market hence psychological tests will enable them to come up with a team that works for the best interest of the company and its stakeholders. For this to happen, managers then should be able to know if the candidates fit the positions and the company best if the candidates are smart enough for those positions if the candidates talents will grow the candidates emotional intelligence to perform their work involving other the development direction best for them as well as do the candidates have personal problem which could be solved.  This helps the managers as well as owners of the business know better about the people they want to hire, coach, promote or counsel.

To achieve this many companies find it wise to use psychologist to asses their candidates and team before they come to a conclusion on whom to carry out the specified tasks.  The psychologists are asked to assess and interview the people and check whether they have what the company needs in terms of talent and potential.  They also have to tell if the candidates have high potential to make developments, if the candidates are ready for promotion, if the candidates are development based in term of their strengths and weaknesses and the reasons why the candidates would perform poorly and hence give guidance.  To start with, the company applies psychological profiling to enable them promote or hire key candidates.  This policy ensure that the psychologist interact with the entire final group of individuals who would be qualified for that specified position in terms of the pay and grade. The application of the policy then ensures that they are in quality control when hiring and promoting people in the company.  The Human Resource Manager receives the report and is entitled to keep it confidential. From the report he make the right decision and gives feedback to the successful candidates.  The information gotten from the psychological profile is also useful in planning and monitoring the individuals growth.  The profile also covers the persons general intellectual levels and their styles of solving problems, their emotional person and maturity, their interpersonal styles, their selling ability, their organizational skills, how they make decisions, their competencies in leadership as well as their aspirations and ambitions.  The psychologists are able to define and recommend the right person by prior getting to know all the characteristics of the person needed and their duties and what the company expects about the person.  The candidates history, setbacks, relationships, responsibilities, career path(s) and previous performances are also considered.  All these profiles for the candidates are made using disciplined behavioral interviews, personality questionnaires and standardized intelligence tests which may take each individual a minimum of four hours and a maximum of half a day (Lakin, 2005).

In any working environment where professional are involved there are certain exclusive moral codes that they are expected to apply in their day to day activities.  They are expected to behave and approach situations in different ways from other professions.  Therefore, behavioral assessments are also used by psychologists for the purpose of the professional ethic whereby they observe persons actions in a natural setting.  The persons behavior is coded quantitatively to check how much of what is required by the professional code of ethics do they put into practice and how well they perform.

Psychologists are required to render competent services to their clients by mastering the professional psychological skills.  In performance of their special assignments they should be knowledgeable about the methods of functioning and the objectives of the organization.  They should strive to ensure that they maintain the best standard of service by objectively collecting the appropriate data and information necessary to effectively work with the workers.  In conducting their duties they should uphold integrity and use appropriate procedures and techniques of assessment to deal with the individual differences.

Employers may also administer tests to current or potential employees to check their fitness to do their duties.  For instance, many companies have introduced the use of psychological tests and lies detector test to determine use of drugs by employees.  This is due to the impact of increased number of workers who test positive for drug and alcohol abuse. These tests are carried out if one is suspected to be a drug user or just a random test for the employees.  Sometimes it is mandatory for some professional to carry out these tests to ensure safety of clients, the personnel and the company as whole.  For people thought to be involved in theft or embezzlement of funds in an organization they may be administered with a polygraph exam to test the truth behind the scandals.  Hence one is disciplined, discharged or discriminated against (Anonymous, 2007).  However it should be noted that labor law specialist require that these tests should directly relate to the job and should be treated with a lot of confidentiality.

Brusman (1996) claim that, application of psychological test in any organization is very significant. Firstly, carrying out psychological tests has enable organization to hire and maintain the exceptional employees for their organizations benefit which is due to competence and determination of the selected workers. Secondly, it has increased productivity due selection of the best candidates for all the positions in the organization.  Thirdly, the management is certain of best performance from the chosen candidates since the tests are highly dependable for predicting the real job performance of any individual.  Fourthly, there is reduced workers turnover and training expenses which reduces the general costs of the organization and eliminate the misery of hiring poor performers.  Finally, the tests have deception scales that enable to evaluators to identify any candidate who would be giving answers to the questions asked in a forthright way.

Tests are significant and hence they should not be supplied ahead of the said date and their responses should be kept private.  Regardless of their importance, employees find test intimidating but they should be allowed a chance for explanations as to why they need them and the impact the tests for the organizations welfare (Associate for Test Publishers, 2007).