CHAPTER
OBJECTIVES,
3
SAMPLE, A N D PLAN OP STUDS'
Objectives
Since the GATE has b e e n developed in t he U.S. can it measure similar
aptitude factors i n o u r culture so m a r k e d l y different from t ha t in U.S.?
GATB ca n b e accepted as a factorially valid test in o u r culture onl y if
it shows a simi l a r factor structure.
The first objective, therefore,
was formulated as:
1.
To study the aptitude factor structure o f the GATB fo r Indian
samples.
GATB is a standard aptitude test, battery.
Super and Crites (1962)
dis­
tinguished b e t w e e n standard test batteries and custom bui l t test batteries.
I n a custom b u i l t battery, tests are constructed and evaluated for a
specific job or purpose.
In contrast t o t h e custom b u i l t battery, the
standard b a t t e r y contains items and tests that c a n predict success for
s e v e r a l similar jobs i n an occupational area.
c a n explore various occupational possibilities.
Thus one b a t t e r y o f tests
GATB, b e i n g a standard
test battery'has these advantages.
The first step in standardization of the GATB is to administer a bat t e r y
t o a fairly large and representative sample of the gene r a l working popu­
l a t i o n representing various occupations and t o develop norms for the
68
general
working
structure
specific
for
population.
deriving
occupation.
work.
2.
develop norms
To
aptitude
This
lopment
Thus,
the
occupational
Of
aptitudes
nine
more
than
mine
how
one
the
of the
tests
score
available
estimate
of
can b e
adjusting
standard
After
the
Beta
administering
tests
are
not
directly
For
example,
raw score
scale
or
aptitudes
of
of
the
by
raw
on
standard
was
in
the
infra­
for
USES
formulated
any
n o m
deve­
as:
P o p u l a t i o n (GWP)
For
the
each
GATB
score
test
it
which
factor.
into
what
one
on
represent­
scores
from
test
S,
scores.
For
simultaneously,
such
22
to
a battery
a
the
case,
is
test
tests
the
obtained
conversion
$9
the
various
of
combined
regression
account
they
necessary
this
of
o n Aptitude
unless
is
each measured
would h e
obtains
Test
are
and
In
coefficients
take
of
Aptitude
five
weighted
derived
raw scores
GATB.
GATB,
applying multiple
to
comparable
the
15
the
the
should be
validity
of
by
aptitude
weights
deviations
various
the
and
developing norms
General Working
can be
obtained
intercorrelations
a basic
areas.
selected
aptitude
provide
reflected
objective
tests.
composite
solution
the
then
and
approach is
measured
12
norms
scores
second
for
ing various
the
These
as
to
so
deter­
that
best
an
appropriate
technique
and
to
then by
differences
in
tests.
the
raw scores
in the
the
raw
on
score
standard
compared
are
converted
into
which
standard
some
measures
scores
the
units
score
cannot b e
to
the
possible
V
test
by
units.
with
standard
several
is
the
all
the more necessary for comparing an individual1s relative standing on
various aptitudes.
It was decided to convert raw test scores to standard aptitude scores
with an aptitude mean of 100 and an aptitude standard deviation of 20.
For example, the mean scores on Tests 3,
b
and 6 should be converted in
such a way that the mean aptitude score of G becomes 100.
Thus, once
converted, each individual1s scores on all aptitudes can be compared.
The third objective, therefore, was formulated as:
\
3.
Derivation of aptitude scores and development of aptitude conver­
sion tables to convert raw test scores into standard aptitude scores for
the general working population.
After a battery is obtained, empirical studies have to be conducted to
develop norms for selection of personnel in various jobs and occupations.
4.
To develop specific GATB norms for the selection of technical and
clerical personnel for various jobs in textile industry.
It has been observed that aptitude mean scores increase due to practice
effect.
It has also been shown that aptitudes show decline in average
scores with age.
5.
Therefore, the fifth objective was formulated as:
To study the effects of practice and age on GATB aptitude scores.
In addition to these objectives, this study establishes the psychometric
properties of the GATB, such as its reliability, validity and inter-
70
correlations among the tests
and aptitudes.
B a c h o b j e c t i v e w i l l b e dis­
c u s s e d and d e t a i l e d i n s u b s e q u e n t c h a p t e r s .
Sample
T w o s a m p l e s w e r e u s e d , S a m p l e 1 for o b j e c t i v e s
f o r o b j e c t i v e 4.
and 3, a n d S a m p l e 2
S a m p l e 1 w a s c a l l e d as t h e g e n e r a l w o r k i n g p o p u l a t i o n
s a m p l e and S a mple 2
S a m p l e 1 ;-
1
as i n d i v i d u a l o c c u p a t i o n a l s a m p l e .
It c o n s i s t e d o f 3 6 9 4 e m p l o y e d
occupational divisions
adul t s
representing s i x major
as p e r t h e N a t i o n a l C l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f O c c u p a t i o n s
(NGO) p r e p a r e d b y t h e G o v e r n m e n t o f I n d i a .
N C O (1968) h a s
10 occupa­
t i o n a l divisions o n p a p e r b u t actually t h e r e are o n l y eight divisions,
s i n c e d i v i s i o n 7 is n u m b e r e d as 7 - 8 - 9 .
B a c h d i v i s i o n o f N C O has various
groups of occupations, each group has various
f a m i l i e s o f o c c u p a t i o n s , and
each family has various specific occupations.
Professional, Technical,
tions,
Each
F o r example,
a n d . R e l a t e d W o r k e r s i n c l u d e 19 g r o u p s o f o c c u p a ­
s u c h as P h y s i c a l s c i e n t i s t s ,• a r c h i t e c t s ,
group
physical
contains
geologists,
various
various
scientist's
group
geophysicists.
occupations.
occupations:
physicist,
sound,
etc.
according
to
tions
obviously
and
The
physicist,
their
families
contain
Each
general;
We
of
family
sample
is
physicist,
Each
does
71
such
people
for
example,
into
include
example,
down
has
includes
the
chemists,
into
following
physicist,
various
every
etc.
physicists,
mechanics;
division
not
as
For
further broken
family,
classified
life scientists,
occupations.
families,
Physicists
occupations.
the
Division 1 -
heat;
divisions
several
occupa­
occupation.
T a b l e s 3.1
shows six divisions, the siz e of t h e sample in each division
a n d t h e m m b e r of m a l e s
a n d females i n the sample.
T he data for two divisions,
d i v i s i o n 6 - farmers,
could n o t b e
i.e.,
division 5 - service workers,
fisherman, hunters,
loggers,
c o l l e c t e d as m o s t o f t h e w o r k e r s
and
and related workers
are in the unorganised
s e c t o r which made it difficult to contact them.
Moreover,
it is u n l i k e l y
t h a t w o r k e r s i n t h e u n o r g a n i z e d s e c t o r and p a r t i c u l a r l y w o r k i n g i n t h e s e
t w o divisions w i l l b e selected,
at le a s t i n the n e a r future,
with the
h e l p o f p s y c h o l o g i c a l t e sts.
O u r d a t a were collected f o r a l o n g t e r m project unde r t a k e n b y t he inves­
t i g a t o r in the H u m a n Relations D i v i s i o n of ATIRA,
on the standardization
o f GATB f o r i n d u s t r i a l selection and placement, w ith t h e approval and
e n c o u r a g e m e n t o f t h e U .S. D e p a r t m e n t o f L a b o u r .
I t is a n o n g o i n g p r o j e c t .
S o m e d a t a w e r e c o l l e c t e d b y t h e in v e s t i g a t o r * s c o l l e a g u e s
w h o w e r e t h o r o u g h l y f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e GA T B .
a l l types
and assistants
T h e data were collected from
o f industries - small, b ig, l a b o u r intensive, t e c h n i q u e intent
sive, new, m o d e m ,
old, a n d b u r e a u c r a t i c .
a g e o g r a p h i c ,r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i n t h e s a m p l e .
s a n p l e c o m e s f r o m G u j a r a t Stat e .
72
Investigator intends t o obtain
However,
at p r e s e n t 2 / 3
Table 3.1:
GATE General Working Population Sample in
Six Occupational Divisions.
i
1
. Professional, Technical,
Related
69
584
j
!
i
26
591
821
;
165
986
i
f
j
480
i
10
490
J
515
Administration, Executive and
Managerial
■
'
....
565
3.
Clerical and Related
....
Ilf
S^lss
•***
0
5.
j
j
Production and Related workers,
Transport Equipment Operators
and Labourers
....
718
i
j 6.
Rot Classified
164
;
....
Total
j
;
i
and
....
2.
Total
Female
Male
Occupational Division
3263
'
145
863
16
180
431
;
3694
Sampling Design
The sample is drawn from the organized sector because firstly, it was
easy to contact them through their management to administer the GATE and
make certain physical arrangements with the cooperation of the management,
and secondly, the organized sector generally follows scientific selection
and placement procedures so that the use of psychological tests can be
made.
In India, the employed working population in the organized sector as
recorded in 1973-74 was 19.6 million.
This is the base population for
the GATB general working population norm study• It was intended to
obtain a stratified sample to make it proportionally representative of
73
the base population with respect to selected control factors of occupa­
tion, sex, and age.
Occupation;-
It was necessary to base occupational stratification on
the Government's occupational classification system i.e., national classi­
fication of occupations.
To obtain a proportional representation within
each selected occupational division, the exact number of people working
in each division in the country had to be determined.
could not get this information.
The investigator
Moreover, many practical difficulties
would have existed in getting a size of the sample required for propor­
tional representation.
Therefore, it was decided to have as many people
as possible in each occupational division.
Thus, since the sample did
included%a large range of occupational classifications and a substantial
number of people in each occupational division, it yielded reasonably
close appreciation to test performance typical of the general working
population.
Sex;-
Sometimes sex difference have been observed on the GATE scores
(Droege, 1967a).
It becomes necessary, therefore, to give attention to
the problem of stratification of the population according to sex differenpes.
Of the 19.6 million population working in the organized sector,
17.4 million or 88.1%
were men and 2.2 million or 11.335? were women.
The male-female ratio in our sample is
74
88,33%
males to 11.67^ females.
The m ale-fem ale r a t i o in th e t o t a l working p o p u latio n i n th e organized
and unorganized s e c to rs i s n o t v ery d i f f e r e n t from our sam ple's r a t i o .
I n 1971, 180 m illio n p eo p le were working i n I n d ia o f which 149 m illio n
o r 82.75$ were men and 31 m illio n o r 17 1 22JS were fem ales, ( in te r e s tin g ly
only 11$ o f th e t o t a l working p o p u latio n i s working in th e organised
s e c to r i n I n d ia ) .
A ge:-
Our sample was between 18 t o 62 y e a rs o f age.
Since G4TB was u n ­
l i k e l y t o be used f o r s e le c tin g employees o u tsid e t h i s age range i t was
decided t o re p re se n t t h a t p o rtio n o f th e g e n e ra l working p o p u latio n which
f e l l w ithin t h i s age ran g e.
The average age o f th e sample was 31.71 y ears
w ith a stan d ard d e v ia tio n o f 9.55 y e a r s .
The average age o f th e sample
i n each o ccu p atio n al d iv is io n -did nob v ary co n sid e rab ly .
There were more
younger people th a n th e o ld e r ones, which i s i n a way d e s ir a b le because
probably beyond 35 y e a rs age s t a r t s o p e ra tin g n e g a tiv e ly on th e GA38
s c o re s .
Secondly, younger people dominate th e employment m arket.
Table
3 .2 shows th e d iv isio n w ise mean,’ S.D. and stan d ard e r r o r o f th e age o f
th e sample.
<*
T able
3 .2 : Mean, Standard d e v ia tio n and Standard E rro r o f
th e AgerSaraple
S.D. !L S .B ,.i
6 .5 2 |! -27 j
:
7
.7 8 i! .32 j
31.51
3 2 . 4 5 ' 1 1 .4 9 i .3 7 !
32.00 ■ 8.53 |; .39}
|
1
3 1 .88 ;: 9.46 j .32 j
2 6 .9 5 : 4 .6 2 j • l
9.55 s .16 j
31.71
i
)1 .
D ivisio n
P ro fe ssio n a l., T echnical and Related
l If • Mean
___ ) 584 '3 0 .0 6 ;
; 2.
j 3.
j 4•
{ 5.
;
>6.
A d m in istra tiv e , Executive and M anagerial
C le r ic a l and Related
S ales
P roduction and R elated w orkers, O p erato rs,
and Labourers
Not C la s s ifie d
,~ .j
T o ta l
591:
986.
,...} 490:
!
___ j 8 6 3 .
___ j 180‘
13694 :
75
Education;-
Education
to
the
extent
of
the
GATE
that
have
cation may be
no
penalized
aptitudes.
education
were
The
mean
compared
cated
to
upbo
levels,
based
college
middle
high
was
Sample
2 ;-
specific
were
of
school^
in
upto
who
failed
2
norms
are
industry.
was
for
in
Most
language
Sample
degree
old
their
of
for
selecting
sample
mills,
three
in
for
the
Ahmedabad
in
have
taking
fourth
and
76
have
one
and
in
the
for
the
school
of
1.97
higher
years.
as
was
edu­
degree/fliploma
percentages
spent
are put
the
subjects
sample
upto
years
as
under
middle
developed
and
2870
was
are
in
matri­
the
school
working
and
profi­
GATB.
objective,
in
middle
classified
the
of 493
clerks
of
are
technicians
and
verbal
these
schools
consisted
supervisors/technicians
who
diploma
and
measure
deviation
28$
Since
sample
timers
edu­
and 4
school,
high
the
required
used
The
or
1 , 2
those
parts
sample.
percent
levels.
some
only
formal
than
standard
high
sample
little
available
divisions
examination passed,
a
a
to
less
in the
Twenty-nine
34$
with
designed
was
with
the
included because
with
included
post-graduate
categories
GATB
persons
years
selecting
a person
education'
education
obtaining
English
textile
the
11
school categoiy.
school
textile
’y e a r s
upto
last
Those
in
who
Thus,
divisions.
without
ciency
in
tests
other
the
culates.
unduely
in
in
was
Thus
of
%
factor
contents.
years
middle
and
on
on
education
average
control
practically not
information
whose
a
illiterate person
verbal
numerical
The
-was
clerks
viz.,
for
employed
eight
Bombay.
to
various
male
departments
It
was
develop
an
jobs
adults
of
four
incidental
sampling in the sense that these four mills gave permission to, the
investigator to collect data in their units.
These four mills represen­
ted a comprehensive range in the textile industry in terms of quantity
of production, profitability, quality, counts, company policies, etc.
They were traditionally manage^ on more or less similar lines.
The heads
of the various departments and the senior management staff were not
included in the sample.
The word 1department* is used as a synonym to
1 job* .
In textile mills jobs can'be divided into production jobs end non-produc­
tion jobs corresponding roughly to line and staff functions.
Technicians
are assigned production jobs whereas non-technicians are assigned non­
production or clerical jobs.
Production# departments in the mill are
concerned with spinning, weaving, wet-processing, statistical quality
control, and engineering.
Engineering is a maintenance department.
rest are clerical departments.
The job requirements and functions, how­
ever, differ for each department.
The jobs included in the study were;
1.
Spinning Technologists
5. Sales Clerks
6. Front Office Clerks
2. Weaving Technologists
3. Wet-Processing Technologists,
4.
Statistical Quality Control
Technicians (S.Q.C.)
7. Labour Office Clerks
8. Spinning and Weaving Clerks.
The labour office includes clerks working in the kanta office, gate
keeper* s office
The
and'E.S.I.*s office.
77
Separate selection norms were
developed fo r each of the eight jobs lis te d above.
The mean age of the to ta l sample was 39.76 years with a standard devia­
tio n of 11.11 years.
The mean education of the sample was 11 years with
a standard deviation of 2.6 years.
The highest number of people were in
the sales department and the lowest in the S.Q.C. department (Table 3.3)
Table 3.3 : Jobwise Sample Size, Its Mean Age and
Standard Deviation.
______Age______ i
S.D. !
M
N
Spinning Technologists
.... 57 36.21
9.64
Weaving Technologists
.... 56 36.43 10.75
6.66
Wet-Processing Technologists
.... 43 29.02
Statistical Quality Control Technicians .... 59 45.30 11.03
Sales Clerks
.... 102 41.68 11.52
8.60 j
Front Office Clerks
.... 50 39.14
Labour Office Clerks
.... 76 44- *34- 10.96 |
Spinning and Weaving Clerks
.... 59 45.30 11.03 j
Jobs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
s.
Total
493
39.76
11.11 |
I t was decided to have a minimum sample size of 50 for each job,
A te s t
development guide published by the U.S. Department of Labour writes:
"When a sample of employed workers is to be tested fo r t e s t development
purposes, i t is desirable fo r the fin a l sample to include 50 or more
workers" (1969b, p. 16-1).
ment where the If is 43.
The only exception to th is is S.Q.C. depart­
This cannot be considered as a large satqple
in absolute terms. But considering the average size of some o f the
departments in the textile mill, one has to approach many mills even to
obtain this number.
For example., the average number of technicians in
the spxnning department is 12.
To obtain a sample of 50 this investi­
gator had to collect data from 4 to 5 mills.
Approaching many mills for
data collection is not only time consuming but has many other difficul­
ties, such as getting permission from the management, releasing the
technicians and clerks for the testing, etc.
collected these norms will be revised.
data from other departments also.
As and when more data is
The investigator has collected
But since the sample size of these
departments is not yet 50, they have not Veen included in this study.
Table 3.4 ; Agewise and Jobwise Breakdown of the Sanple.
Age (Tears')
19-28i29-38;39-A8 A9-58 • 59+-
Jobs
1.
Spinning Technologists
Weaving Technologists
• * •
7
8
20
Zt
19
15 ! 11
10 ! 11
3.
Wet-Processing Technologists
■ • •
6
20
12
10
4*
Statistical Quality Control Technicians
19
10
10
4
'27
10
10
3
•a »
4^
8
2
-
5.
Sales Clerks
a
• a
12
6.
Front Office Clerks
• * •
8
19 ! 34
15 j 14
7.
Labour Office Clerks
a
7
12 !
30
20
7
8.
Spinning and Weaving Clerks
« • a
9
10 j
20
10
10
76 : 125 ; 145
103
Total
79
•
a
'
Plan of the Study
GATB in the Present Study
The GATB has 12 tests to measure nine aptitudes.
The first six are
cognitive aptitudes and the remaining three are psychomotor aptitudes.
The cognitive aptitudes are measured by the first seven paper and pencil
tests.
Two psychomotor aptitudes are measured by the apparatus tests and
one by the paper-and—pencil test.
This study concentrates on the first
six aptitudes, viz., G - General Intelligence, Y - Verbal, N - Numerical,
■S - Spatial, P - P o m Perception, and Q - Clerical Perception because of
their wide applicability to various occupations.
The last three aptitu­
des, K - Motor Coordination, F - Finger Dexterity and M - Manual Dexterity
have not been included because of their limited applicability and consi­
derable time taken to collect data on them because they are measured
through apparatus tests which have to be administered individually.
Another difficulty in collecting data on these aptitudes was the non­
availability o f ’more sets of the apparatus tests.
Many studies on GATB,
.reported earlier therefore, have concentrated on the first six aptitudes
only.
Ghanges Made in GATB
A few minor changes had to be made in the instructions and in Part - 6,
Arithmetic Reason Test of the GATB, to make the answering more conve­
nient for the testess and to suit some of the items in Part - 6 to our
80
cultural
conditions.
has
to
the
answer
to
The
he
indicate his
sheet.
indicate
wishes
cross
answer
in
In
1.
Test
change.
out
6 -
Bs.
and
Bs.
1.00
to
n.p.
in
did
by
of
by
to
the
making
making
tick
ask
the
one
to
then
)
erase
that
put
a
we
on the
asked
change
new
tick
sheet.
ary
his
on
them
answer
completely
to
testee
pencil-marks
marks,
J
the
answer
answer he
mark
for his
Reason,
were
the
following
replaced b y
Indian
changes
names,
were
e.g.,
made:
Ramesh
to
John
Tom.
substituted f
India,
not
as
100
affect
and
cents.
cents
the
items
are
Since
equal
and
the
100
to
|
nps
1.00
answers
are
in
equal
to
America,
provided
this
f o r them.
16
Three
Changed
quarts
from a
two
many
mained
,4 .
and bla c k
(Like
testee
and
instructions
heavy black
testee
Original
How
heavy
marls
instructed
earlier
original
answer space.
Foreign names
Item
We
Arithme'tie
change
3.
his
another
and Mohan
2.
answers
instructions
to
should
answers
Instead
their
original
According
of
gasoline
gallon
pints
in the
of
leaked
Three
container.
from
gasoline
How
re­
container.
in
to
quarts
a
two
many
the
of
petrol
gallon
pints
of
leaked
container.
petrol
remained
container?
Item 24
Original
A
Changed
seamstress
for
material
accessories
thread,
It
for
pays
each
# 4 9 .5 0
dresses
and #1.25
(buttons,
etc.)
requires
$1.75
4
for
dress.
If
can
dress.
of material
she
for supplies,
she
for
zippers,
each
yards
a y a m
how
spends
many
make?
c*
i
to
A t a y l o r pays Rs.1.75 a y a rd f o r
m a t e r ia l and Bs. 1,25 f o r accesso­
r i e s ( b u tto n s , c h a in , t h r e a d , e t c . )
f o r each s u i t (c o a t and p a n t ) . I t
r e q u ir e s 4 m etres o f m a te r ia l f o r
each s u i t . I f he spends Rs.49.50
f o r s u p p l i e s , how many s u i t s can
he make?
Administration of GATE
The flAfrB was administered in groups of not more than 35 subjects at a
time;
Book 1- of the GATB, containing the first four tests, was always
'administered before Book 2 containing the next three tests.
The time
limit for each test was strictly adhered to.
Before starting each test, instructions were given to the subjects in
detail.
Similarly, before starting the actual test, subjects were allowed
to do the practice exercises.
The test was not started until all testees
understood the instructions properly.
Whenever necessary, instructions
were given in the regional languages after strict translation from English.
All the answer sheets were scored through standard scoring keys.
Sex and Analysis of the Data
The mile and female groups were not treated separately for analysis and
development of norms.
Droege (19&7)>and others show that boys and girls
differ in their mean scores on some of the aptitudes.
However, the study
to determine sex differences in the average rate of aptitude maturation
showed that scores for boys and girls were about the same, indicating s
that separate sex norms were not needed.
Similarly, when the study was
conducted to find out whether there were sex differences in the relation­
ship between average aptitude scores and age for adults in the age range
of 17—59 years, the results showed that there was a statistically signi­
ficant interaction between age and sex on only N - Numerical Aptitude
82
(U.S. Department of Labour, 1970a),
Probably sex differences on GATE
scores appear in tbe earlier stages of development but disappears after
maturation.
This was reason for not developing separate norms for men and
women.
/
The second reason for not treating males and females separately is that
although the sample represents the male-female ratio in the working popu­
lation, it is not typical of those found in individual occupational
samples.
Typical samples are made up of either a relatively large propor­
tion of males or females.
of males exceed females.
In our country, in most occupations the number
Only females are employed in very few occupa­
tions.
Therefore, separate norms for females would have very little
value.
In mixed employment situation (where males as well as females are
considered for emplqyment) the norms based on the combined sexes will
have more applicability.
The third and the most important reason for not treating them separately
is because "Job qualifications of the individuals should be determined
on the basis of ability without regard to spurious factors such as sex,
age, race or religion.
The use of separate norms for aptitude test
batteries would not be consistent with this concept" (U.S. Department of
Labour, 1970a, p. £78).
It has some practical advantages also.
It
avoides difficulties and complications encountered in evaluating males
and females for the same job.
83
Occupational Divisions and Analysis of the Data
Although the sample represented various occupational divisions, they were
not treated separately, except for Objective 1, in which case factor
analysis was performed separately for four of the six occupational divi­
sions, in addition to factor analysis performed for the whole sample.
The rest of the analysis was performed for the entire sample.
84