Construct and Predictive Validity of an Assessment Game to Measure Honesty–Humility

Ard J. Barends; Reinout E. de Vries; Mark van Vugt

doi:10.1177/1073191120985612

Construct and Predictive Validity of an Assessment Game to Measure Honesty–Humility

Ard J. Barends^*, Reinout E. de Vries, Mark van Vugt

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Research on commercial computer games has demonstrated that in-game behavior is related to the players’ personality profiles. However, this potential has not yet been fully utilized for personality assessments. Hence, we developed an applied (i.e., serious) assessment game to assess the Honesty–Humility personality trait. In two studies, we demonstrate that this game adequately assesses Honesty–Humility. In Study 1 (N = 116), we demonstrate convergent validity of the assessment game with self-reported Honesty–Humility and divergent validity with the other HEXACO traits and cognitive ability. In Study 2 (N = 287), we replicate the findings from Study 1, and also demonstrate that the assessment game shows incremental validity—beyond self-reported personality—in the prediction of cheating for financial gain, but not of counterproductive work and unethical behaviors. The findings demonstrate that assessment games are promising tools for personality measurement in applied contexts.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	630-650
Number of pages	21
Journal	Assessment
Volume	29
Issue number	4
Early online date	11 Jan 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191120985612
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was financially supported by a grant from LTP business psychologists to support a PhD position for the first author at the VU University, The Netherlands.

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was financially supported by a grant from LTP business psychologists to support a PhD position for the first author at the VU University, The Netherlands.

Keywords

applied gaming
assessment game
game-based assessment
Honesty–Humility
in-game assessment
personality
serious game

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title = "Construct and Predictive Validity of an Assessment Game to Measure Honesty–Humility",

abstract = "Research on commercial computer games has demonstrated that in-game behavior is related to the players{\textquoteright} personality profiles. However, this potential has not yet been fully utilized for personality assessments. Hence, we developed an applied (i.e., serious) assessment game to assess the Honesty–Humility personality trait. In two studies, we demonstrate that this game adequately assesses Honesty–Humility. In Study 1 (N = 116), we demonstrate convergent validity of the assessment game with self-reported Honesty–Humility and divergent validity with the other HEXACO traits and cognitive ability. In Study 2 (N = 287), we replicate the findings from Study 1, and also demonstrate that the assessment game shows incremental validity—beyond self-reported personality—in the prediction of cheating for financial gain, but not of counterproductive work and unethical behaviors. The findings demonstrate that assessment games are promising tools for personality measurement in applied contexts.",

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author = "Barends, \{Ard J.\} and \{de Vries\}, \{Reinout E.\} and \{van Vugt\}, Mark",

note = "Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was financially supported by a grant from LTP business psychologists to support a PhD position for the first author at the VU University, The Netherlands. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2021.",

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doi = "10.1177/1073191120985612",

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AU - de Vries, Reinout E.

AU - van Vugt, Mark

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was financially supported by a grant from LTP business psychologists to support a PhD position for the first author at the VU University, The Netherlands. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2021.

PY - 2022/6/1

Y1 - 2022/6/1

N2 - Research on commercial computer games has demonstrated that in-game behavior is related to the players’ personality profiles. However, this potential has not yet been fully utilized for personality assessments. Hence, we developed an applied (i.e., serious) assessment game to assess the Honesty–Humility personality trait. In two studies, we demonstrate that this game adequately assesses Honesty–Humility. In Study 1 (N = 116), we demonstrate convergent validity of the assessment game with self-reported Honesty–Humility and divergent validity with the other HEXACO traits and cognitive ability. In Study 2 (N = 287), we replicate the findings from Study 1, and also demonstrate that the assessment game shows incremental validity—beyond self-reported personality—in the prediction of cheating for financial gain, but not of counterproductive work and unethical behaviors. The findings demonstrate that assessment games are promising tools for personality measurement in applied contexts.

AB - Research on commercial computer games has demonstrated that in-game behavior is related to the players’ personality profiles. However, this potential has not yet been fully utilized for personality assessments. Hence, we developed an applied (i.e., serious) assessment game to assess the Honesty–Humility personality trait. In two studies, we demonstrate that this game adequately assesses Honesty–Humility. In Study 1 (N = 116), we demonstrate convergent validity of the assessment game with self-reported Honesty–Humility and divergent validity with the other HEXACO traits and cognitive ability. In Study 2 (N = 287), we replicate the findings from Study 1, and also demonstrate that the assessment game shows incremental validity—beyond self-reported personality—in the prediction of cheating for financial gain, but not of counterproductive work and unethical behaviors. The findings demonstrate that assessment games are promising tools for personality measurement in applied contexts.

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KW - personality

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Construct and Predictive Validity of an Assessment Game to Measure Honesty–Humility

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