In Charles Darwin’s theory of natural history, selection is the principal mechanism that is responsible for the evolution of life on Earth. Three conditions must be met if natural selection shall occur in an ecological system. First, organisms living in the system must show phenotypic variations that bear upon their survival. Second, those variations must
Sexual selection operates under the same process of differential reproductive success described by Darwin in The Origin of Species. This success, or fitness, is determined by the amount of genes contributed by an individual to the next generation. Sexual reproduction adds genetic variation and allows for distinct sets of characteristics, some of which are advantageous
Personnel selection is the systematic process of making decisions about which individuals to employ to fill open positions within an organization. The main goal of selection is to identify and employ those individuals who have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully complete the work of the organization. The volume and quality of
The problem of risk-based sorting often referred to as risk selection, and the use of risk adjustment to offset it are central concepts in health economics. After briefly defining risk selection and risk adjustment, this article provides an overview of the theoretical and empirical literatures that analyze these concepts. The issues covered here touch on
This article examines empirical models in health economics and health services research aimed at providing causal inference regarding the effect of a particular variable (the causal variable – X) and outcome of interest (Y). Such models are typically used to explain (predict) past (future) economic behavior, test an economic theory, or evaluate a past or
Selection and Assessment Consulting Selection strategies differ from organization to organization in any number of ways. Some rely mostly on tests, others on interviews. Some are computer or Web based, others paper-and-pencil tests. Some automatically select candidates out, whereas others inform decisions that select candidates in—and so on. Selection strategies are the result of many
Employee selection is the process employers use to determine which candidates to choose for particular jobs or roles within the organization. (Some organizations select for a particular job, e.g., customer service representative, whereas others select for a role, e.g., management.) Often, employee selection connotes preemployment selection—that is, determining which external applicants to hire. However, the
Executive selection represents an important means of gaining competitive advantage for today’s organizations. However, such selection has not traditionally used the rich history of conceptual and empirical research on personnel selection that exists within the domain of industrial and organizational psychology. The high failure rate of today’s executives points to the need for more effective
Scientific jury selection (SJS) is the use of a survey to decide which jurors to favor in a trial. Prior to the 1970s, jury selection was done by attorneys based on their hunches. The new quantitative method was welcomed enthusiastically by trial attorneys. Social scientists were more reserved. SJS led to the employment of social
Police selection is a process by which police agencies decide on which applicants are suitable for law enforcement training. The application of psychology to the selection of police officers has long been a part of the process, usually in the form of a psychological evaluation performed by a licensed clinical psychologist. The evaluation typically involves
Before a jury trial begins, attorneys must select a jury from a panel of community members who have reported for jury duty. Rather than choosing jurors to sit on the jury, attorneys choose people to exclude from the jury. The attorneys may excuse anyone who exhibits demonstrable bias that would interfere with his or her