Study Guide for Integrity Tests & Tips
Updated November 20, 2023
- What Is an Integrity Test?
- What Do Integrity Tests Measure?
- How Is An Integrity Test Taken?
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- Example Questions on an Integrity Test
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- Are Integrity Tests a Valid Part of the Hiring Process?
- What Are Overt Integrity Tests?
- Struggles to Pass Integrity Tests
- Tips for Passing an Integrity Test
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts
An integrity test is a personality assessment tool used to assess an individual's honesty, reliability and ethical behavior.
It involves a series of questions or scenarios designed to measure a person's likelihood of engaging in dishonest behaviors when in the workplace, such as stealing or continued absence from work.
What Is an Integrity Test?
An integrity test is a specific type of psychological assessment that employers may use. The test assesses a candidate's tendency to be honest, trustworthy and dependable in the workplace.
When a candidate lacks integrity, this is often associated with behaviors such as theft, violence, sabotage, disciplinary problems and absenteeism.
Integrity tests involve questions or scenarios that assess an individual's attitude, values and beliefs regarding ethical conduct.
Questions cover topics such as rule compliance, moral judgment, attitudes toward dishonesty and personal responsibility when at work.
An integrity test for employment aims to identify individuals who may have a higher risk of engaging in unethical behavior, thus helping employers or institutions make more informed decisions in hiring or offering a promotion.
In addition, an integrity exam may be used for admission to an educational establishment.
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What Do Integrity Tests Measure?
Integrity assessment tests have been found to measure some of the same factors found in other personality tests.
These include conscientiousness and emotional stability. Additionally, integrity tests can also help predict work performance.
Integrity tests aim to evaluate the following:
Compliance With Rules – Integrity tests for employment assess an individual's inclination to follow the rules, regulations and policies. They gauge attitudes towards adhering to guidelines and willingness to comply with organizational or institutional standards.
Dishonesty – These tests explore an individual's tendencies towards theft, fraud or dishonest behavior. Tests include scenarios or questions that assess the person's likelihood of taking unethical actions, such as stealing, cheating or lying.
Personal Responsibility – An integrity test gauges an individual's sense of personal accountability and responsibility. They assess the person's belief in taking ownership of their actions, admitting mistakes and facing the consequences of their behavior.
Moral Judgment – These tests evaluate an individual's moral reasoning and ethical decision-making abilities. They look at an individual's attitudes towards ethical dilemmas, consideration of the potential impact of their actions on others and their ability to make choices based on moral principles.
Attitudes Towards Substance Abuse – An integrity assessment test can also assess an individual's attitudes and behaviors towards substance abuse, for example, alcohol or drug misuse. This helps employers to identify possible risks or issues that may impact workplace safety or an individual's reliability or productivity.
How Is An Integrity Test Taken?
An Integrity test for employment can be administered in various ways, depending on the organization's preferences.
Paper-and-Pencil Tests
Taken in person at a designated test center, individuals complete the integrity test by answering a series of questions or scenarios.
The test is provided in a printed format, and respondents indicate their answers using a pen or pencil.
Online Assessments
These tests are accessed through a secure web portal or online assessment platform.
Participants log in using the provided login details and complete the test using their own computer or mobile device.
The online integrity test can be taken at any time at the candidate's home or preferred location.
Computer-Based Testing
In some cases, an integrity test for employment is administered using specialized computer software.
The test is presented on a computer screen, and participants interact with the assessment by selecting responses using a keyboard, mouse or touchscreen.
This type of test is taken at a designated test center.
Proctored Testing
In certain situations, employers may request an integrity test be administered under supervised conditions.
A proctor or test administrator ensures test security and monitors the test takers to prevent cheating.
This type of test can be done in person or online.
Example Questions on an Integrity Test
Questions on an integrity test cover all aspects of integrity. These include compliance with rules, honesty, theft, personal responsibility, substance abuse and moral judgment.
While actual integrity tests may contain multiple questions, outlined below are some example integrity test examples.
Example Question One – Moral Judgment
When on your lunch break, you see a fellow co-worker being dishonest. Their actions have the potential to harm the company. How severe do you consider this behavior?
a) Not severe at all
b) Slightly severe
c) Moderately severe
d) Very severe
e) Extremely severe
You find out that one of your colleagues, who has been with the company for ten years, regularly takes office supplies home. How would you react in this situation?
a) Report the behavior to a supervisor
b) Ignore it
c) Confront the coworker directly about their actions
d) Assume that as your colleague has been with the company for a number of years and does this, it is an acceptable practice
Do you believe it is acceptable to bend the rules when in the workplace if it benefits your work and role?
a) Strongly disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly agree
Are you likely to take responsibility for a mistake or error that you made, even if it could have negative consequences for you?
a) Very likely
b) Somewhat likely
c) Neutral
d) Somewhat unlikely
e) Very unlikely
How often do you consume alcohol or use drugs during work hours or before coming to work?
a) Never
b) Rarely
c) Occasionally
d) Frequently
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Are Integrity Tests a Valid Part of the Hiring Process?
An Integrity assessment test has the potential to be a valid part of the hiring process when used alongside other evidence gained from each stage of the recruitment process.
The content of the integrity test should also be directly related to the requirements and expectations of the job.
It is essential to align the test items with the role's specific ethical challenges and demands.
Integrity tests should be validated to ensure their effectiveness in measuring the intended behaviors and beliefs.
To maintain validity, organizations must ensure that the administration and interpretation of integrity tests adhere to ethical guidelines.
The privacy of the participant should be protected, and informed consent should be obtained.
Additionally, feedback and support should be provided to candidates who are unsuccessful in the hiring process due to integrity test results.
One advantage of the integrity test is that there are no performance differences between genders, races, religious backgrounds or protected characteristics.
By considering these factors, organizations can utilize integrity tests as a valuable component of the hiring process, identifying candidates more likely to show ethical behavior and integrity in the workplace.
What Are Overt Integrity Tests?
Overt integrity tests are a type of integrity test that directly assess an individual's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to honesty, trustworthiness, and ethical conduct.
Unlike covert integrity tests that assess integrity indirectly through personality or situational questions, overt integrity tests explicitly measure a candidate's integrity by asking direct questions.
Candidates must either rate their level of agreement on a rating scale or select the most appropriate response option.
One of the main issues with an overt integrity test is applicants can provide fake responses, as determining the correct response for a company can be easy.
Therefore, an individual's test score should be interpreted with caution when using an overt integrity exam.
Struggles to Pass Integrity Tests
Many employees are found to be honest yet cannot pass the integrity assessment test.
This can be a challenging situation for individuals and is usually down to several factors:
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Providing Answers That You Think You Should Give: This can be a red flag in that candidates know the test's purpose and are trying to answer the questions in a specific way to avoid seeming dishonest. This in itself is an indicator of dishonesty.
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Mismatch Between Company Values and Employee Ethics: An integrity test for employment is based on an organization’s ethical principles and values. These may not align with an individual's personal or cultural beliefs.
Differences in moral standards can also result in conflicting responses on integrity tests.
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Lack of Self-Awareness – Some individuals may need a greater understanding of their own attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors related to integrity in the workplace. They may need to fully recognize the importance of ethical conduct or the impact of their actions on others. This may lead to inconsistent or contradictory responses on an integrity test.
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Lack of Understanding – Taking an integrity test can be an unfamiliar situation to some individuals meaning they are unable to navigate the questions effectively, resulting in inconsistent responses.
Tips for Passing an Integrity Test
Step 1. Be Honest
Integrity tests are designed to assess your integrity; providing truthful responses is essential.
Step 2. Read the Questions Carefully
This ensures you understand what is being asked. Pay close attention to the instructions provided for the integrity test.
Make sure you understand how to respond to the questions and if there are any time limits or specific guidelines to follow.
Step 3. Understand the Purpose of the Integrity Test
Familiarize yourself with the purpose of an integrity test.
Understand that these tests aim to evaluate your attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to honesty, trustworthiness and ethical conduct.
Step 4. Be Aware of Any Time Limits
Integrity tests often have time limits. Be aware of the time available and manage it effectively to answer all the questions without rushing or leaving any unanswered.
Step 5. Ensure Your Well-Being
Make sure you are well-rested and have eaten before taking the test.
Those that are tired, hungry or thirsty may not be in the right frame of mind to answer the questions in the test.
Step 6. Practice the Test to Ensure Familiarity With the Style of Questioning
Familiarize yourself with sample questions or practice tests available online.
This can help you become more comfortable with the format and types of questions you may encounter.
Step 7. Take Your Time and Be Consistent
Think before answering each question. Consider the implications of your response and how it reflects your integrity-related beliefs and behaviors.
Maintain consistency in your responses throughout the test. Contradictory answers can raise red flags, impacting your test results.
An integrity test is a psychometric assessment measuring an individual's honesty, trustworthiness and ethical behavior. The test helps employers identify potential risk employees and make informed decisions in the selection or admissions processes.
To pass an integrity test, be honest and follow the instructions. Reflect on your values, stay consistent and think before answering. Review sample questions, seek clarification if needed and manage your time effectively.
Make sure you are well-rested before taking the test to ensure you are in the right frame of mind to answer the questions.
An integrity test consists of a series of questions or scenarios designed to assess an individual's honesty, trustworthiness and ethical behavior when in the workplace.
Test takers respond to questions, providing insights into their attitudes, beliefs and behaviors related to integrity.
Sample questions for integrity tests can be found in this article. Other sample questions can also be found online.
Failing an integrity test administered by an employer can have various consequences depending on the organization's policies. It may result in being eliminated from the hiring process.
In addition, for existing employers failing the test can lead to job loss or other disciplinary actions.
Honesty is a crucial trait in assessing someone’s integrity, trustworthiness, and ethical behavior in the workplace. In asking specific questions, interviewers can gauge a candidate's truthfulness, reliability, and likelihood of engaging in dishonest or unethical conduct.
Honesty tests help employers evaluate an individual's trustworthiness.
By identifying candidates or employees who are more likely to show integrity and be honest at work, organizations can foster a culture of trust, reduce the risk of theft or fraud and promote ethical conduct within the workplace. This builds employee engagement and brand reputation.
Several jobs include honesty tests as part of the hiring process. These include roles in the education sector, financial services and banking roles, government and healthcare roles, as well as those in professional services.
The accuracy of honesty tests when hiring can vary. While honesty tests provide valuable insights into an individual's honesty and integrity, they should be used as part of the overall assessment process, including considering factors such as interview and reference data, ensuring make well-informed hiring decisions are made.
Individuals are informed when sitting an honesty test as to the nature and purpose of the test. Transparency and informed consent are essential in ensuring ethical testing practices.
To pass a pre-employment honesty test, be truthful in your responses, understand the purpose of the test, and read the instructions carefully. It is also important to think before answering and stay consistent in your responses. Familiarize yourself with sample questions or practice tests before taking the test.
An honesty test is generally taken through a self-reported questionnaire. Test takers respond to a series of statements or questions by selecting or rating their level of agreement or disagreement. The test can be taken online, via proctored conditions, or in person, depending on the requirements of the organization.
Final Thoughts
Integrity tests, also known as honesty tests, evaluate candidates on specific aspects of integrity.
These include compliance with rules, honesty, theft, personal responsibility, the tendency to misuse substances such as alcohol or drugs and moral judgment when in the workplace.
These types of assessments are increasingly being used to help employers make final decisions on whether a candidate should be offered a position.
Before using an integrity test, employers must ensure the test has been validated, with the test being aligned to the expected behaviors required in the role and organization.
It is essential that the intended purpose of the test is clear to the candidate and that how the results will be used is communicated to the test taker prior to them taking the test.
Assuming these criteria are met, and when used with information gathered from the different stages of a recruitment process, integrity tests can be a useful tool in helping employers decide which candidates are suitable to hire for a position or admit into an educational institute.
