An investigation of the validity of implicit measures of personality

The current research examines the construct validity of Implicit Association Tests designed to measure two of the Big Five factor traits, Extraversion (EIAT) and Conscientiousness (CIAT), and whether or not these IATs predict performance for retail Sales Representatives. In Study 1 and 2, undergraduate students completed self-report measures of personality and the EIAT and CIAT. Results provide evidence of the construct validity for both the EIAT and CIAT. In Study 3, a concurrent validity study was conducted with a sample of cell phone retail sales employees. Results of Study 3 provide evidence of criterion-related validity for the EIAT and CIAT. The combined results of the three studies suggest the EIAT and CIAT may be useful personality measures in a selection context