Distributional Shapes and Validity Transport: A comparison of lower bounds

ABSTRACT

Organizations use validity transport to assess whether adoption of a particular selection measure may be of value. Current validity transport methodology assumes a normal distribution of validity parameters. Research over the past two decades has questioned this assumption, investigating the types of decision errors likely with various non-normal parameter distributions. The current paper demonstrates that the variance of the parameter distribution and choice of lower bound has a greater impact on the true lower bound of the parameter distribution than does its shape. The current practice of using 80% credibility intervals provides a reasonable compromise in terms of invariance to parameter distribution shape while also limiting the probability of erroneously concluding validity transport is reasonable in a specific case.