Browsing by Author "De Klerk, Marissa"
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- ItemA psychometric evaluation of the measurement invariance and measurement equivalence of the basic traits inventory (BTI)(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12) De Klerk, Marissa; Theron, Callie C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.ENGLISH SUMMARY : The main objective of an organisation is to generate profit through the products and services it delivers to the market. Organisations can only exist if there are people that enable the organisation to function and to deliver the services and/or products to market. It is therefore in the organisations' best interest to look after their human resources and to ensure that this is a priority throughout the whole organization. The primary objective of the human resource function is to enhance the performance of the employees in the organisation in a manner that adds optimal value to all functions of the organisation. The human resource function involves human resource interventions to fulfil this objective. Through recruitment and selection, the human resource function aims to select and place applicants, with the best possible probability of achieving success, within the organisation. Recruitment and selection should be free from all forms of direct and indirect unfair discrimination as stated in the Employment Equity Act (EEA) 55 of 1998, to ensure that all candidates that can do the work equally well have the same chance of succeeding in the application process. The EEA also prohibits the use of biased psychological tests and other similar assessments. The objective of this research study was to determine whether gender bias exists in the Basic Traits Inventory (BTI) using measurement invariance and measurement equivalence as an approach, as outlined by Dunbar, Theron and Spangenberg (2011). A sample of archival item response data for South African men and South African women that completed the English version of the BTI was made available to the researcher by the developers of the BTI. The single-group BTI measurement model in which the latent first-order dimensions were operationalised via the individual items of the instrument was first fitted to samples of male and female data separately. The null hypothesis of close fit was not rejected for the single-group male and single group female measurement models. Using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, a series of hierarchical multi-group measurement models on which increasingly stringent equality constraints were imposed were then fitted, starting with configural invariance as the first step. Configural and weak invariance were confirmed. However, metric equivalence could not be confirmed. Partial metric equivalence was consequently tested for and confirmed. Partial weak strong invariance was confirmed. Scalar equivalence could again not be confirmed. The data analysis results revealed that partial scalar equivalence could be confirmed for the BTI multi-group measurement model. Partial weak partial strong strict invariance was confirmed. Conditional probability equivalence could, however, again not be confirmed. Partial conditional equivalence could be confirmed. Non-invariant items were highlighted in the study. More specifically six non-uniform biased items, 108 uniform biased and 120 error variance biased items were identified. This research study concludes with a discussion of the results found, limitations of the study and recommendations for future research.