Do Applicants and Incumbents Respond to Personality Items Similarly? A Comparison of Dominance and Ideal Point Response Models

This study used an ideal point response model to examine the extent to which applicants and incumbents differ when responding to personality items. It was hypothesized that applicants' responses would exhibit less folding at high trait levels than incumbents' responses. We used sample data from applicants ( N=1,509) and incumbents ( N=1,568) who completed the 16 Personality Questionnaire Select. Differential item (DIF) and test functioning (DTF) analyses were conducted using the generalized graded unfolding model, which is based on ideal point model assumptions. Out of the 90 items, 50 showed DIF; however, only 11 were in the hypothesized direction. DTF was significant for 3 of the 12 scales; 2 were in the hypothesized direction.