Main Topics Notes
1. Applications & - psychological tests results in profound change in lives; are used in almost every nation for
Consequences of counseling, selection, and placement
Psychological Testing - psychometrician = specialist in psychology or education who develops and evaluates
psychological tests
test = standardized procedure for sampling behavior and describing it with scores or categories;
most come w/ norms and standards allowing the result to be used to predict another non test
behavior
- standardized procedure = it's uniform; competence of examiner, directions for administration
- it's a limited sample of behavior (not comprehensive!), but it's enough to allow for inferences
about total domain of relevant behaviors
- it is not a psychometric requirement to sample directly from the behavior intended to be
predicted (if the test is good enough to be used as predictor) > determined by extensive
validational research
- Thorndike "whatever exists at all exists to some amount" —> test sums up performance in
scores or classification
- caution: score will always be: X= T + e; be wary of refying the characteristic being measured,
scores refer to an abstraction that can predict behavior!
- norms = summary of results for large representative group (standardization sample), bell
curve, vs criterion-referenced test (where examinee stands w/ respect to an objective)
- assessment = appraising/ estimating the magnitude of one or more attributes in a person
(tests: only one source for it; invented in WWII for testing physically, verbally the capacities)
types of test - group tests (administered to group at the same time, pencil-paper) vs individual tests
- intelligence tests: measure ability in global, heterogeneous areas/ skills, help determine
potential for scholastic work or occupations
- aptitude tests: capability for specific task/ skill; narrow form of ability testing; as SAT, used
to predict future performance
- achievement tests: degree of learning, success or accomplishment in subject/ task; exams
- creativity test: novel, original thinking; capacity to find unusual solutions, divergent
thinking; in 1960s used in schools as alternative to intelligence tests
- personality test: traits, qualities, or behaviors to determine individuality
- interest inventories: individual's preference to activities/ topics, for occupational choice
(does it really?...)
- behavioral procedures: objectively describe/ count frequency of behavior; antecedents &
consequences
- neuropsychological tests: cognitive, sensory, perceptual and motor performance; determine
extent, locus and consequences of brain damage
uses of testing - classification: forms: placement, screening (quick), certification and selection (pass/fail);
diagnosis and treatment planning: determine nature, etiology, into diagnostic system;
self-knowledge; program evaluation; research; FYI: APGAR test: a er the baby is born
- factors influencing soundness of testing: administration, method, examiner, motivation,
context
standardized procedures - essential criterion for valid testing; appropriate adaptations are also necessary to maintain
norms valid, examiner needs to understand the 'spirit of the law'; sometimes may deviate on
purpose, for clinical judgment rather than quantitative index
desirable procedures - examiner must be intimately familiar w/ materials and directions; attention to details of
administration and scoring;
- have sensitivity to disabilities: (fluctuating) hearing loss, vision, speech, motor control (may
require specialized tests for valid assessment, penalized by timed tests, detecting is hard!)
- in group testing: as crucial as individual testing, common errors: incorrect timing, noises,
lack of clarity in direction to examinees, failure to explain consequences of guessing, never
offer supplementary advice about guessing!!
, influence of examiner - need to establish rapport (comfortable, warm atmosphere), specially w/ individual & children,
otherwise personality may be misjudged, and ability, underestimated; inconclusive results
about influence of sex, race and experience
background & - test anxiety (a cause and effect of poor performance; time pressure), malingering (motivation
motivation of examinee to deceive, 'faking bad'), coaching (to go better), cultural background
Ethical & Social - as usual, it is the borderline cases that provide pause for thought
Implications of Testing - ethical and professional practice is defined by written guidelines published by professional
associations, not a matter of personal judgment!
- responsibilities of test publishers: publication and marketing issues (not premature release!
have technical manual and user guides pertain to standards, be complete); only qualified users
may purchase, limited access! (APA Levels of complexity: A= simple paper-pencil, minimal
training; B= training in stats and test construction; C= masters degree, most complex!), refrain
from taking test home!
responsibilities of test - published by professional organizations, very specific, would eliminate most but not all legal
users challenges to testing
- best interests of the client: test use should serve a constructive purpose for the examinee, do
not apply otherwise
- confidentiality (inform client about legal limits on confidentiality?) & duty to warn (= to warn
potential victims, law enforcement to protect from client)
- expertise of test user: responsibility on appropriate application, interpretation and use;
watch out for pathologized interpretation of personality test results
- informed consent: disclosure (know all need to know to make the decision of being tested,
what will be released and to whom), competency, voluntariness; even children and limited IQ
- standard of care = "usual, customary or reasonable", obsolete tests (people change)
- responsible report writing: potential lasting impact; give helpful perspective of client
- communication of test results: elicit client's understanding of the test, make it directly and
immediately therapeutic; check for adverse reactions
- know when test may not be applicable because of significant individual differences (factors)
testing of cultural & - cultural values, language, roles, views, attitudes; look for qualitative difference in behavior
linguistic minorities rather than quantitative (to detect cultural factors); time perception, racial mistruct,
stereotype threat (attention divided to assess self-significance of their frustration)
- unintended effects of high-stakes testing: Lake Wobegon Effect = overly optimistic results,
all children above average (school desperate to show excellence); teaching for the test
2. The History of - rudimentary forms of testing in China, 2200 B.C: officials were examined regularly for
Psychological Testing fitness for office > written form: civil law, military affairs, agriculture, revenue, geography >
Confucian classics, to become mandarins for public office (extremely rigorous - 3% passed)
- physiognomy = judge character by facial appearance, Aristotle, soul & body sympathise w/
each other; 1700s in Europe > phrenology = Franz Gall 1800 reading 'bumps' (enlarged for
developed faculty), psychograph: automated personality descriptions
- brass instruments: 1800s, mistook simple sensory processes for intelligence; provided
psychology w/ experimental methodology (Wundt 1st laboratory), speed of thought
- Galton: 1800, 1st battery of mental tests; new experimental psychol., measures of indiv
differences, standardized!; physical, sensory, motor measures - intellect, beauty, personality..
- Catell: 1800/1900, modern testing agenda; imports brass instruments to USA, individual
differences (as RT) to determine intelligence; student Wissler did validational research,
correlations were extremely low
- rating scales started in second century, used in phrenology
Binet-Simon scales - 1900s, 1st intelligence tests, to recognize Paris students w/ special needs (humanitarian
motivation); intelligence could be better measured by higher psychol processes rather than
elementary ones (as RT), weighted toward verbal skills, to detect profound retardation,
introduced mental level (scale) > mental age > used IQ
Testing 1900s - now - Goddard: translated Binet-Simon Tests to US, used to classify children as idiots, imbeciles,
feebleminded; contamination of society, made worse my immigrants, hereditary; don't deport,
