Selecting Personnel

Imagine that you are a personnel psychologist, charged with the responsibility of selecting personnel for a mission to Pluto. Your employer, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has asked you to use your knowledge of psychological tests to identify natural born astronauts who will be compatible with each other for this very long mission.

You are going to present your employer with a report that incorporates the following:

• Briefly describe the types of tests or measurement procedures that you would employ for the purpose of screening applicants.
• Briefly describe the types of tests or measurement procedures that you would employ for the purpose of selecting applicants.

Include discussion of the role of some or all of the following variables in your decision about tests:

• Physical or medical
• Personality
• Intelligence
• Interests
• Cultural factors
• Oral communication skills
• Written communication skills
• Creativity
• Tolerance of ambiguity
• Energy level