Assessing the Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff in Psychological Testing Using Experimental Manipulations.

ABSTRACT: The speed-accuracy tradeoff (SAT), where increased response speed often leads to decreased accuracy, is well established in experimental psychology. However, its implications for psychological assessments, especially in high-stakes settings, remain less understood. This study presents an experimental approach to investigate the SAT within a high-stakes spatial ability assessment. By manipulating instructions in a within-subjects design to induce speed variations in a large sample (N = 1,305) of applicants for an air traffic controller training program, we demonstrate the feasibility of manipulating working speed. Our findings confirm the presence of the SAT for most participants, suggesting that traditional ability scores may not fully reflect performance in high-stakes assessments.

SUBMITTER: Alfers T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11562887 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature