Edwin E. Ghiselli

Managerial talent, pay, and age

Abstract The present investigation examines the types of traits managers manifest which firms reward with higher pay, and whether age moderates the relationship between managerial talent and pay. Two hundred ninety-three middle managers, drawn from five large corporations, were assessed on the traits of intelligence, supervisory ability, initiative, self-assurance, and achievement. It was found that all five of the managerial traits were differentially rewarded depending on the age of the managers. The relationships between pay and measures of managerial talent were generally positive for younger managers, and gradually became lower and finally turned negative for older managers. The results are discussed in terms of organizational reward structures.

The Relationship between Intelligence and Age among Superior Adults

(1957). The Relationship between Intelligence and Age among Superior Adults. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 90, No. 2, pp. 131-142.

The efficacy of advancement on the basis of merit in relation to structural properties of the organization

Abstract Merit, defined as goodness of performance on jobs at a given level in an organization, often is used as a basis for the selection of persons for advancement so as to fill vacant positions at higher levels. By means of a simple mathematical model it was shown that structural properties of organizations bear upon the efficacy of merit as a basis for filling vacant positions. In general, advancement on the basis of merit is found to be most effective in organizations which have large spans of control, are homogeneous, and are flat in shape.

Psychological Properties of Groups and Group Learning

20 groups of Ss were given the task of learning to operate a model railroad which required the coordinated action of the members. The results indicated that the more the group consists of self-confident decision makers, possesses one person outstanding in this quality, or consists of individuals strongly oriented to others, the poorer the initial performance. The more intelligent the members of the group are, the better is their initial performance; and the more the group consists of a person who is uncontested as a self-confident decision maker, the better is its performance at later stages in learning.

The Role of Sensory Acuity in Learning and Sensory Discriminations

1 This analysis evolved from a conversation with Professor E. C. Tolman concerning the relationship between learning and sensory acuity.