Response latency in interest assessment: An added tool?

In this study, we used reports of and response times to vocational interest assessment from 989 adults on the Personal Globe Inventory-Short (PGI-Short) and Personal Globe Inventory-Mini (PGI-Mini) to examine the associations between item response and response latency and the potential additive effects of response latency on interest assessment. Findings revealed a curvilinear relation between item response and mirrored response latency such that individuals responded to interest items more quickly when they strongly like or dislike an activity and took longer time to respond when their interests were ambivalence. Further, reflected response latency were found to enhance reliability for both the PGI-Short and the PGI-Mini, and the fit between the combined item response and responding latency vocational interests had additional predictive effects on vocational certainty, over and beyond the effects of regular item responses, but only for the PGI-Mini. Applications and implications of item response latency to interest and other assessments were discussed.