Human Relations Knowledge Test

Abstract

The Human Relations Knowledge Test (HRKT), developed by Carp, Vitola, and McLanathan in 1963, is a structured, 117-item multiple-choice assessment designed specifically to evaluate the knowledge base of postal supervisors regarding effective human relations and supervisory practices. This instrument originated as an adaptation of a longer, 150-item Air Force Specialty Knowledge Test (SKT).

The revision process involved significant modification of the source material. Content specific to military knowledge was systematically eliminated, and terminology relevant to the Postal Department was incorporated. The goal was to transform the specialized military tool into a measure focused on general supervision principles applicable to civilian managerial staff in the United States. The HRKT was created as part of a larger study investigating human relations knowledge and social distance set among postal supervisors.

Keywords

Employee Supervisor Relations, Human Relations, Human Relations Knowledge Test, Interpersonal Relationships, Supervisors, Test Development, Human Relations Training, Management Personnel, Social Skills, Supervisor-Employee Interaction, Test Construction.

Authors

Carp, Frances M., Vitola, Bart M., McLanathan, Frank L.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Human Relations Knowledge Test (HRKT) is to systematically quantify and assess the degree of knowledge held by postal supervisors concerning best practices in human relations. The test specifically targets an understanding of effective supervisory techniques necessary for managing personnel within an organizational context.

The scale was explicitly developed to serve as a research tool within a study exploring the connection between a supervisor’s theoretical knowledge of human relations and their observed social distance set, thereby linking cognitive understanding with practical interpersonal dynamics in the workplace.

Construct

The core psychological construct measured by the HRKT is Human Relations Knowledge. This construct encompasses the theoretical and practical understanding required for fostering positive working environments, managing conflicts, motivating employees, and maintaining effective interpersonal relationships within a supervisory capacity.

It is assumed that supervisors possessing a higher level of this knowledge are better equipped to handle complex employee interactions and organizational challenges, which contributes positively to overall operational efficiency and employee morale.

Validity

Specific empirical validity data for the 117-item revised Human Relations Knowledge Test, as applied to postal supervisors, are not explicitly detailed in the original 1963 reference. However, the strength of the measure is partially derived from its source.

The HRKT was adapted from the Air Force Specialty Knowledge Test (SKT), for which established Validity had previously been demonstrated. The adaptation process involved careful content modification to ensure relevance to the civilian postal environment, suggesting an implicit focus on maintaining content validity, though specific psychometric evidence for the revised form is not provided.

Reliability

Information regarding the internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) or test-retest Reliability of the 117-item Human Relations Knowledge Test is not indicated in the source material published by Carp, Vitola, and McLanathan (1963). Researchers interested in utilizing this instrument would need to conduct independent reliability studies to confirm its consistency across different administrations or samples.

Factor Analysis

No factor analysis results or specific details regarding the dimensionality of the Human Relations Knowledge construct, as measured by the HRKT, are indicated in the original publication. The instrument appears to be designed and utilized as a unitary, comprehensive knowledge test rather than a multidimensional inventory.

Instrument

Test Type: Test (Knowledge Assessment)

Format: The test consists of 117 items presented in a multiple-choice question format, designed for paper administration.

Language Available: English (United States).

Population Group: Human (Male and Female working adults).

Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older).

Population Details: The scale was specifically developed for and administered to postal supervisors. The underlying source material was based on a sample of military supervisors in the United States.

Test Methodology: Test Construction; Validity Assessment.

Keywords

Human Relations Knowledge, Supervisory Practices, Postal Department, Air Force Specialty Knowledge Test, Test Construction, Social Distance Set, Management Personnel.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not indicated.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not indicated.

Correspondence Address: Not indicated. Affiliations at the time of publication included: Frances M. Carp (Trinity University), Bart M. Vitola (San Antonio Post Office), and Frank L. McLanathan (United States Air Force Headquarters).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The test was published in 1963. Test items are generally not available in the public domain for review. Access to the full instrument requires contacting the publisher or the authors’ estates, as the source content explicitly states that test items are not available. Information regarding current usage fees or specific permissions for contemporary research is not indicated in the original academic reference.

Reference’s

• Carp, F. M., Vitola, B. M., & McLanathan, F. L. (1963). Human relations knowledge and social distance set in supervisors. Journal of Applied Psychology, 47(1), 78–80. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0048357

Items of the Human Relations Knowledge Test

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

No (To access the test items, contact the publisher.)