Cognitive ability is one of the best predictors of performance on the job and past research has seemingly converged on the idea that narrow cognitive abilities do not add incremental validity over general mental ability (GMA) for predicting job performance. In the present study, we propose that the reason for the lack of incremental validity in previous research is that the narrow cognitive abilities that have been assessed most frequently are also the abilities that are most highly correlated with GMA. Therefore, we expect that examining a broader range of narrow cognitive abilities that are less highly correlated with GMA will demonstrate incremental validity for narrow abilities. To examine this prediction, we conducted an updated meta-analysis of the relationship between cognitive ability and a multidimensional conceptualization of job performance (task performance, training performance, organizational citizenship behavior, counterproductive work behavior, withdrawal). Using several different methods of analyzing the data, results indicated that the narrow cognitive abilities that are the least highly correlated with GMA added substantial incremental validity for predicting task performance, training performance, and organizational citizenship behavior. These results have important implications for the assessment of cognitive ability and the employee selection process.

认知能力是工作绩效的最佳预测指标之一，过去的研究似乎都集中在这样一种观点上，即狭义的认知能力不会增加预测工作绩效的一般心理能力 (GMA) 的增量有效性。在本研究中，我们提出先前研究中缺乏增量效度的原因是，被评估最频繁的狭隘认知能力也是与 GMA 最高度相关的能力。因此，我们期望检查与 GMA 不太高度相关的更广泛的狭窄认知能力将证明狭窄能力的增量有效性。为了检验这个预测，我们对认知能力与工作绩效的多维概念化（任务绩效、培训绩效、组织公民行为、适得其反的工作行为、退缩）之间的关系进行了更新的元分析。使用几种不同的数据分析方法，结果表明，与 GMA 相关性最低的狭窄认知能力为预测任务绩效、培训绩效和组织公民行为增加了实质性的增量有效性。这些结果对评估认知能力和员工选拔过程具有重要意义。结果表明，与 GMA 相关性最低的狭窄认知能力为预测任务绩效、培训绩效和组织公民行为增加了实质性的增量有效性。这些结果对评估认知能力和员工选拔过程具有重要意义。结果表明，与 GMA 相关性最低的狭窄认知能力为预测任务绩效、培训绩效和组织公民行为增加了实质性的增量有效性。这些结果对评估认知能力和员工选拔过程具有重要意义。