C9161 - TESTING

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will: - know methods to assess personnel performance at different levels, to develop performance-focused interventions - have acquired knowledge about Human resources management practices and the role of testing within them. - be able to develop a project in personnel psychology for the organizational management

Course contents

The course involves two complementary modules:

Module 1: Marco Giovanni Mariani (16 hours)

Module 2: Gerardo Petruzziello (24 hours)

Module 1

The module introduces the main principles of Human Resource Management, covering the employee lifecycle from recruitment and onboarding to development, retention, compensation, and separation.

Key topics include:

organizational mission, vision, and structure;
the strategic role of the Human Resources function;
compensation and reward systems;
Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS).

Module 2

This module aims to nurture key knowledge and skills for selecting, preparing, and applying human resource management techniques, particularly in personnel assessment and selection, taking into account the increasing influence of AI-assisted solutions.

The contents are organized around the following themes:

• Before testing: recent evolutions in AI-driven job analysis;
• Evaluating Validity and Psychometric properties and ethical concerns for choosing suitable tests in organizations;
• Tests and Self-Reports;
• Cognitive tests;
• Personality and integrity tests;
• Simulations.

Testing prospective employees through experience

• Biodata Inventories;
• Employment interview.

Applicants’ Perspective and Experience

• Applicant reactions to assessment tools and techniques: Theoretical foundations and practical challenges.

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1

Readings will be assigned throughout the course and will include textbook chapters and selected articles from scientific and professional journals.

Main reference:
Dessler, G. (2018). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management (4th ed.). Pearson. (Selected chapters.)

Module 2

The following list of references is merely indicative. The specific readings required to prepare for the exam will be indicated and provided in class in due course:

• Arthur Jr, W., Doverspike, D., & Schulte, B. D. (eds.). (2026). Global Perspectives on the Definition, Assessment, and Reduction of Bias and Unfairness in Employment Testing.
• McCarthy, J., Bauer, T., Truxillo, D., Anderson, N., Costa, A., & Ahmed, S. (2017). Applicant perspectives during selection: A review addressing “So what?”, “What’s new?”, and “Where to next?” Journal of Management, 43(6), 1693-1725.
• Nikolaou, I., & Katsadoraki, A. (2025). Construct validity and applicant reactions of a gamified personality assessment. Computers in Human Behavior, 162, 108467.
• Sackett, P. R., Zhang, C., Berry, C. M., & Lievens, F. (2022). Revisiting meta-analytic estimates of validity in personnel selection: Addressing systematic overcorrection for restriction of range. Journal of Applied Psychology, 107(11), 2040.
• Schmitt, N., Ryan, A. M. (Eds.). (2026). The Oxford handbook of personnel assessment and selection. (2nd edition). Selected chapters
• Truxillo, D. M., Bauer, T. N., & Erdogan, B. (2021). Psychology and work: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology. Routledge. Chapters 6 and 7.

Teaching methods

The teaching methods involve lessons, individual/groups case analysis and discussions, and presentations of actvities output.

Given the interactive nature of the teaching methods adopted in this course, regular class attendance (at least 80% of scheduled classes) is considered an integral part of the learning process. Students who do not meet the attendance requirement will be assigned additional reading and study materials to compensate for the missed learning activities and will be assessed through an alternative final assessment.

Assessment methods

Individual written examination consisting of five open-ended questions (Two for module 1, Three for module 2). Students who will not meet the 80% attendance requirement will take a written examination consisting of six open-ended questions. The additional question will pertain to the additional material assigned to study.

Teaching tools

The slides presented during the lectures, the cases presented, and any additional materials will be made available on the virtual platform.

Office hours

See the website of Gerardo Petruzziello

See the website of Marco Giovanni Mariani