The Attention to Detail Test: Measurement Precision and Validity Evidence for a Performance-Based Assessment of Attention to Detail

Abstract

We report on the dimensionality, measurement precision, and validity of the Attention to Detail Test (ADT) designed to be a performance-based assessment of people’s ability to pay attention to detail. Within the framework of item response theory, we found that a 3PL bifactor model produced the most accurate item parameter estimates. In a predictive validity study, we found that the ADT predicted supervisor ratings of subsequent overall job performance and performance on detail-oriented tasks. In a construct-related study, scores on the ADT correlated most strongly with the personality facet of perfectionism. The test also correlated with intelligence and self-reported ACT scores. The implications of modeling the ADT as unidimensional or multidimensional are discussed. Overall, our findings suggest that the ADT is a valid measure of attention to detail ability and a useful selection tool that organizations can use to select for detail-oriented jobs.