Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemic
IntroductionDespite significant challenges, personnel selection procedures had to continue as on-site testing in the Covid-19 pandemic. Health and safety measures and specifically the use of face masks threaten to limit the fairness of cognitive testing and behavioral observation in the assessment c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1168311/full |
| _version_ | 1797730794986274816 |
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| author | Frank Zinn Justin Maximilian Mittelstädt |
| author_facet | Frank Zinn Justin Maximilian Mittelstädt |
| author_sort | Frank Zinn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionDespite significant challenges, personnel selection procedures had to continue as on-site testing in the Covid-19 pandemic. Health and safety measures and specifically the use of face masks threaten to limit the fairness of cognitive testing and behavioral observation in the assessment center.MethodsIn this study, we compare the performance and pass rates of pilot selection under three different conditions in the selection campaigns of 2019 (pre-pandemic), 2020 (health and safety measures without mask), and 2021 (health and safety measures with mask).ResultsMask wearing and other health and safety measures had no influence on the objective parameters of pilot selection. However, for some of the areas of competence in the assessment center subjective observability was rated lower for the condition with face masks.DiscussionWe conclude that the fairness and precision of selection processes are not compromised by wearing face masks and that a high degree of standardization in diagnostic instruments prevents a partially reduced subjective observability from affecting the selection’s outcome. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T11:49:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3195e443fb7341fa8166992a224b935f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T11:49:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3195e443fb7341fa8166992a224b935f2023-08-31T10:24:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-08-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11683111168311Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemicFrank ZinnJustin Maximilian MittelstädtIntroductionDespite significant challenges, personnel selection procedures had to continue as on-site testing in the Covid-19 pandemic. Health and safety measures and specifically the use of face masks threaten to limit the fairness of cognitive testing and behavioral observation in the assessment center.MethodsIn this study, we compare the performance and pass rates of pilot selection under three different conditions in the selection campaigns of 2019 (pre-pandemic), 2020 (health and safety measures without mask), and 2021 (health and safety measures with mask).ResultsMask wearing and other health and safety measures had no influence on the objective parameters of pilot selection. However, for some of the areas of competence in the assessment center subjective observability was rated lower for the condition with face masks.DiscussionWe conclude that the fairness and precision of selection processes are not compromised by wearing face masks and that a high degree of standardization in diagnostic instruments prevents a partially reduced subjective observability from affecting the selection’s outcome.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1168311/fullpersonnel selectionface maskcognitive performanceassessment centercommunicationCOVID-19 pandemic |
| spellingShingle | Frank Zinn Justin Maximilian Mittelstädt Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemic Frontiers in Psychology personnel selection face mask cognitive performance assessment center communication COVID-19 pandemic |
| title | Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemic |
| title_full | Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemic |
| title_short | Effects of face masks on fairness in on-site personnel selection during a pandemic |
| title_sort | effects of face masks on fairness in on site personnel selection during a pandemic |
| topic | personnel selection face mask cognitive performance assessment center communication COVID-19 pandemic |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1168311/full |
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