Preemployment Honesty Testing: Current Research and Future Directions

Before the passage of the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988, thousands of companies used polygraph examinations to assess job applicants' predisposition to engage in dishonest activities. Despite the virtual outlawing of this procedure, screening alternatives are still needed in business. In this work, Dr. John Jones presents the current research on honesty, or integrity, tests, providing a thorough discussion of the available alternatives as well as a summary of the Model Guidelines to be used for honesty testing programs. The book covers the history of honesty testing, the current state-of-the-art research, and assessments of future trends and applications.

The work is divided into four separate sections. The first four chapters chronicle the 40-year history of integrity testing, summarize how companies attempt to control employee theft, and review research showing that the use of honesty tests yields a meaningful return-on-investment. The second section focuses on current research trends. Among the topics discussed are the psychometric properties of a leading integrity test, the theoretical foundation for overt honesty tests, the accuracy of tests and ways to reduce classification errors, applicants' reactions to tests, and the organizational climate of honesty. The five chapters in section three cover future directions in preemployment testing, including discussions of tests designed to predict productivity, turnover, drug use, violence, and accidents. The final section provides practical information for companies seeking to implement integrity testing, such as integrating tests into the selection process and maintaining applicants' privacy rights. This work will be a useful reference for professionals in the fields of security management, human resources, and organizational behavior and for courses in business management, as well as a valuable addition to both public and academic libraries.