Scientific Foundation
The Synergy Assessment™ is built on decades of industrial-organizational psychology research.
Our behavioral traits align with the Big Five personality model, validated in over 1,000 studies as predictive of job performance (Barrick & Mount, 1991). Our cognitive component follows general mental ability (GMA), the single best predictor of job success across roles (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998).
Years of Research
Validation Studies
Assessment Questions
Synergy Profiles
What Makes an Assessment Valid?
In psychology, "validity" measures how well an assessment predicts real-world outcomes like job performance. Higher validity = better predictions. Here's how different assessment types compare:
Predicts performance across all job types
Predicts reliability, trustworthiness, and counterproductive behavior
Conscientiousness and emotional stability predict success
Traditional interviews are poor predictors of job success
The Synergy Assessment™ combines all three top predictors (cognitive, integrity, and personality) for maximum accuracy.
Big Five Personality Model
Our 12 behavioral traits map to the scientifically validated Big Five (OCEAN) model, the most widely accepted framework in personality psychology.
Validation studies conducted
Years of research
Core personality dimensions
Trait Mapping
Citation: Barrick, M.R. & Mount, M.K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1-26.
General Mental Ability (GMA)
Our Synergy IQ component measures cognitive ability, which 85 years of research confirms as the single strongest predictor of job performance across all roles.
Predictor of job success
Years of validation research
Job types benefit
Key Findings
- ✓ GMA predicts performance in ALL job types
- ✓ Higher validity for complex jobs than simple jobs
- ✓ Strongly predicts training success
- ✓ Validity holds across industries and cultures
Citation: Schmidt, F.L. & Hunter, J.E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262-274.
Selection Method Validity
How well different hiring methods predict job performance, based on decades of research.
| Method | Predictive Power | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General Mental Ability (GMA) | Strongest | Schmidt & Hunter, 1998 |
| Structured Interviews | Strongest | Schmidt & Hunter, 1998 |
| Integrity Tests | Very Strong | Ones et al., 1993 |
| Situational Judgment | Strong | McDaniel et al., 2007 |
| Conscientiousness | Moderate | Barrick & Mount, 1991 |
| Reference Checks | Moderate | Schmidt & Hunter, 1998 |
| Job Experience (years) | Weak | Schmidt & Hunter, 1998 |
| Education Level | Weak | Schmidt & Hunter, 1998 |
💡 Key Insight: The Synergy Assessment™ combines the top predictors (GMA, personality, integrity, situational judgment) into one comprehensive tool — maximizing predictive power while minimizing candidate burden.
Integrity Testing
Our integrity and derailer assessments identify counterproductive work behaviors before they impact your team.
Reduction in theft/misconduct
Performance predictor
Years of research
Citation: Ones, D.S., Viswesvaran, C., & Schmidt, F.L. (1993). Comprehensive meta-analysis of integrity test validities. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(4), 679-703.
Motivational Assessment
Our 8 motivators are grounded in Self-Determination Theory and McClelland's research on achievement motivation.
Core motivators measured
Performance boost when aligned
Psychological needs (SDT)
Citation: Deci, E.L. & Ryan, R.M. (2000). Self-Determination Theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68-78.
Situational Judgment Tests
Our situational judgment component measures practical intelligence and decision-making in realistic work scenarios.
Job performance predictor
To all candidate groups
Work scenarios tested
Citation: McDaniel, M.A., et al. (2007). Situational judgment tests: Validity and an integrative model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(3), 730-740.
Team Role Theory
Our Team Role mapping is inspired by Belbin's research showing that balanced teams outperform homogeneous ones.
Distinct team roles identified
Years of team research
Performance in balanced teams
Citation: Belbin, R.M. (2010). Team Roles at Work (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.
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