Psychology Definitions:

1. Actor- observer Method

Actor- observer method involves our tendency to attribute our own behaviour to
situational (external) causes but that of others to dispositional (internal) ones. Thus,
when we see another person trip and fall, we tend to attribute this event to his or her
clumsiness.

2. Attribution

The process through which we seek information is knows as attribution. Attribution

refers to our efforts to understand the causes behind others behaviour and, on some
occasions, the causes behind our behaviour as well.

3. Augmenting

Augmenting is the tendency to assign added weight or importance to a factor that

might facilitate a given behaviour when this factor and another factor that might
inhibit such behaviour are both present, yet the behaviour still occurs.

4. Background check
A background check or background investigation is the process of looking up and
compiling criminal records, commercial records and financial records of an
individual or an organization.

5. Barriers to effective selection

PERCEPTION: Our inability to understand others accurately is probably the most

fundamental barrier to selecting right candidate. Selection demands an individual or
a group to assess and compare the respective competencies of others, with the aim of
choosing the right persons for the jobs. But our views are highly personalized. We all
perceive the world differently. Our limited perceptual ability is obviously a stumbling
block to the objective and rational selection of people.

FAIRNESS: Fairness in selection requires that no individual should be discriminated

against on the basis of religion, region, race or gender. But the low number of women
and other less privileged sections of society in the middle and senior management
positions and open discrimination on the basis of age in job advertisements and in
the selection process would suggest that all the efforts to minimise inequity have not
been very effective.

VALIDITY: Validity, as explained earlier, is a test that helps predict job performance
of an incumbent. A test that has been validated can differentiate between the
employees who can perform well and those who will not. However, a validated test
does not predict job success accurately. It can only increase possibility of success.

RELIABILITY: A reliable method is one which will produce consistent results when
repeated in similar situations. Like a validated test, a reliable test may fall to predict
job performance with precision.

PRESSURE: Pressure is brought on the selectors by politicians, bureaucrats,

relatives, friends, and peers to select particular candidate. Candidates selected
because of compulsions are obviously not the right ones. Appointments to public
sector undertakings generally take place under such pressure.

6. Co-relation method

When two events are related in a way that if one changes the other changes too, they
are said to be correlated. The term co-relation refers to a tendency for one event to
change as the other changes.

7. Consensus

The extent to which other persons react to some stimulus or even in the same
manner as the person we are considering.
The higher the proportion of people who react in the same way, the higher the
consensus.
8. Consistency

The extent to which an individual responds to a given stimulus or situation in the

same way on different occasions i.e. across time.

9. Correspondence bias
Not only do we make attributions about the behaviour of individual persons, we also
sometimes make attributions about the behaviour of groups. For instance, we try to
understand why one group seems to dislike or even like another. This is called
correspondence bias.

10.

Correspondent influence

It says that attributions can be strongly affected by group membership, an effect we

consider as prejudice.

11. Dependent variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment is called Dependent Variable.

12.Discounting
The tendency to attach less importance to one potential cause of some behaviour
when other potential causes are also present. In this, you view the first possible cause
as less important as another possible cause for this action exists too.

13.Experiment method
Experiment method is a method of research in which one or more factors (the
independent variable) are systematically changed to determine whether such
variations affect one or more other factors ( dependent variable)

14.Experimental effect

The observer-expectancy effect (also called the experimenter-expectancy effect,

expectancy bias, observer effect, or experimenter effect) is a form of reactivity in
which a researcher's cognitive bias causes them to unconsciously influence the
participants of an experiment.

15.Fundamental attribution error

The tendency to overestimate the impact of dispositional cues on others behaviour.
It is the tendency to explain others actions as stemming from dispositions, even in
the presence of clear situational causes.

16.Graphology test

Graphology is the analysis of the physical characteristics and patterns of handwriting

purporting to be able to identify the writer, indicating psychological state at the time
of writing, or evaluating personality characteristics.

17. Hypothesis

Hypothesis is a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited

evidence as a starting point for further investigation. It is an as-yet-unverified
prediction

18.Informed Consent
A procedure in which researcher participants are provided with as much information
as possible about a research project before deciding whether to participate in it. This
is opposite of withholding information in order to persuade people to participate.

19.Interest test
Interests tests help you define your interests and determine what you like most. This
could help you when making a career choice.

20.

Non common effect

Non common effects are effects that can be caused by one specific factor but not
others. Effects produced by a particular cause that could not be produced by any
other apparent cause.

21.Personality test
A personality test is a questionnaire or other standardized instrument designed to
reveal aspects of an individual's character or psychological makeup.
22.

Projective test

Projective test is a psychological test in which words, images, or situations are

presented to a person and the responses analysed for unconscious expression of
elements of personality that they reveal.

23.

Polygraph test

A polygraph (popularly referred to as a lie detector test) measures and records

several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin
conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions.

24.

Social psychology

The scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual
behaviour and thought in social situations. It focuses mainly on understanding the
causes of social behaviour and social thought- on identifying factors that shape our
feelings, behaviours, and thoughts in social situations. It seeks to accomplish this
goal through scientific methods.

25.

Survey Method

Survey method is a method of research in which large numbers of persons answer

questions about their attitudes or behaviour. Surveys are used for many purposes.
To find out about how voters feel about various political candidates.
To assess students reactions towards professors.

26.

Self- serving bias

The tendency to attribute positive outcomes to internal causes ( for eg. Ones own
traits or characteristics) but negative outcomes or events to external causes ( e.g.
Chance, task difficulty)

27.

Schemas

Schemas are mental frameworks centring around a specific theme that help us to
organise social information. Once schemas are formed, they exert powerful effects on
several aspects of social cognition.

28.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Self-fulfilling prophecy are predictions that, in a sense, make themselves come true.

29.

Selection tests

A selection test is a systematic and standardized procedure of sampling human

behaviour in order to obtain qualified applicants for organizational activities. It is
used to assess the ability, aptitude and personality of prospective candidates.
Selection test is conducted in order to select a right person for the right job who will
be capable of performing organizational activities if hired. Selection test is a device
that reveals the information about the candidate which is not obtained through other
steps of selection. It screens the employee's ability, knowledge.