Chapter 1 - What is a Psychological Test? Flashcards
All tests require a person to perform some
behaviour
What is the definition of behaviour?
an observable and measurable action
Unobservable personal traits or characteristics that we can’t directly see but believe are important for understanding human behaviour are also known as…
A psychological construct
Test scores can be used to:
Make important decisions about individuals which can affect you and those around you
An inference is when you…
use evidence to reach a conclusion
Because we can’t measure a psychological construct, we must…
make inferences from the behaviour we observe
What is a psychological test?
a measurement technique that requires a person to perform one or more behaviors in order to make inferences about human characteristics or predict future outcomes
How do psychological tests differ in terms of behaviour performed?
Vary in the behaviours they require. Test takers perform different tasks to observe behaviours related to the test’s purpose.
EX: In a driving test, behaviours such as changing lanes, making turns, and parking are assessed.
How do psychological tests differ in terms of constructs measured and outcomes predicted?
what a test measures or predicts can vary—each test is tailored to measure specific constructs which can lead to different outcomes
EX: a driving test requires individuals to perform various driving behaviours to measure the construct of driving ability
How can psychological tests differ in content?
Tests measuring the same construct may involve different behaviours or questions based on how the construct is defined
EX: One intelligence test may define intelligence as reasoning ability and another may define it as emotional intelligence
What are some ways psychological tests can differ in administration and format?
Tests can be given in various formats which can impact the testing experience and the type of information gathered about the individual
EX. MC questions, open-ended
How do psychological tests differ in scoring and interpretation?
Tests can differ in terms of how they are scored and interpreted which can influence how results are conveyed and understood
How do psychological tests differ in psychometric quality?
Some tests are well-designed, accurately measuring what they claim to measure and other tests may be poorly designed and fail to measure their intended constructs
What do good tests have the bad tests don’t?
- Evidence of validity (measure what they claim to measure)
- Evidence of reliability (measure consistently over time)
What is the field of psychology concerned with the quantitative and technical aspects of testing
Psychometrics