Ch 2 Historical, Cultural, and Legal/Ethical Considerations

Question 1

Roadmap Historical Considerations [skip]

Answer 1

Know important historical events related to psychological testing

Question 2

What happened in the 19th century?

Answer 2

• Strong interest in the humane treatment of intellectually challenged and mentally ill individuals
• Intelligence testing in schools
• Psychology research labs (e.g., experimental psychology)

Question 3

Experimental Psychology

Answer 3

Began in the late 1800s in Europe

– Introduction of psychological labs

• Objective, repeatable measures
• Testing focused on reaction times & sensory thresholds
• Scientific study of the mind

Question 4

Darwin

Answer 4

His interest in individual differences led his half cousin Francis Galton, to devise a number of measures for psychological variables

Question 5

Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 5

• Started the first experimental psychology laboratory and measured variables such as reaction time, perception, and attention span
• 1st psychological lab in Germany (1879)
• Reaction time, perception, attention span

Human similarities

-Individual differences are seen as measurement error

Question 6

Francis Galton

Answer 6

“Father of Mental Testing”

Anthropometric Laboratory

• Subjects measured according to physical characteristics

Individual differences
- Differences from average

Coined Term: “Nature vs Nurture”

Question 7

James McKeen Cattell

Answer 7

A student of Wundt’s but was inspired by his interaction with Galton coined the term mental test in 1890 and was responsible for introducing mental testing in America.

Founded Psychological Corporation, tried to develop intelligence test but didn’t correlate academic achievement

Question 8

Binet and Simon

Answer 8

developed the first intelligence test to identify intellectually disabled Paris school children

Question 9

World Wars 1 and 2

Answer 9

brought the need for large-scale testing of the intellectual ability of new recruits

Question 10

Group Testing

Answer 10

Binet - Individual tests

Group Testing
- Pressing need
- Military recruits in WW1

Question 11

Yerkes

Answer 11

• chaired committee (1.5 million recruits) who to discharge, who to put where, etc.
• used multiple choice and other objective item types

Question 12

Army Alpha

Answer 12

General Routine testing

• Model for group intelligence tests
• Used simplified instructions, administration procedures, and this requires minimal training on the part of the examiner
• After WW1, released for civilian use

Question 13

Army Beta

Answer 13

non-verbal test (people who couldn’t read or people who were foreign-born)

• Model for group intelligence tests
• Used simplified instructions, administration procedures, and this requires minimal training on the part of the examiner
• After WW1, released for civilian use

Question 14

Personality Testing

Answer 14

• Also started with WW1 to screen for recruit general adjustment (self-report measure)
• Projective measure

Question 15

Projective Tests

Answer 15

• Famous test Rorschach Inkblot Test in which the individual is assumed to “project” onto some ambiguous stimulus his or her own unique needs, fears, hopes, and motivation

Question 16

What are the two lines psychological assessment has proceeded?

Answer 16

The academic and the applied

Question 17

Academic tradition

Answer 17

Researchers at universities throughout the world use the tools of assessment to help advance knowledge and understanding of human and animal behavior

Question 18

Applied tradition

Answer 18

the goal is to select applicants for various positions on the basis of merit

Question 19

Culture

Answer 19

The socially transmitted behavior patterns, beliefs, and products of work of a particular population, community, or group of people

Question 20

culture-specific tests

Answer 20

In the 1930s and 40s developers of IQ tests devised the tests

• Clarified that the tests were not intended for minority cultures; yet the tests were used on individuals belonging to other cultures
• Today, developers of intelligence tests take precautions against bias

Question 21

Legal and Ethical Issues [placeholder]

Answer 21

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Question 22

Concerns of the public

Answer 22

Happened when testing from the military was adapted to schools and industry use

• launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union caused the U.S. to greatly increase testing of abilities and aptitudes in schools
• Led to renewed public concern

Question 23

Rights of Test Takers

Answer 23

• Informed Consent
• Explanation of the test
• Right to confidentiality
• Privilege is not absolute and might have to disclose information if there might be harm to others or some endangered third party