Chapter 2

Question 1

Which branches of psychology are testing and assessment most commonly applied, in Australia?

Answer 1

• clinical
• organisational
• forensic
• clinical neuropsychology
• educational and developmental

Question 2

Clinical psychologists specialise in?

Answer 2

Assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of psychological and mental health problems

Question 3

Organisational psychologists specialise in?

Answer 3

The areas of work, human resource management, and organisational training and development

Question 4

Ed/Dev psychologists specialise in?

Answer 4

Provision of assessment, intervention, and counselling services to children and adults with learning and development al

Question 5

What is the difference between psychological testing and psychological assessment?

Answer 5

Testing - generally the process of administering a test and obtaining and interpreting the scores (generally what)
Assessment - a process that is broader in scope (generally why)

Question 6

Forensic psychologists specialise in?

Answer 6

Concerned with the legal and criminal justice area and provide services for perpetrators or victims of crime and personnel of the courts and correctional systems

Question 7

Clinical neuropsychologists specialise in?

Answer 7

Concerned with the effects of brain injury on human behaviour and provide diagnosis, assessment, counselling and intervention for these individuals

Question 8

Name the 4 main ways that psychological tests differ

Answer 8

• types of responses (yes-no, likely scale)
• number of individuals being tested at once
• whether a computer can be used for administration, scoring, and interpretation
• frame of reference for comparison (e.g. criterion- or norm-referencing)

Question 9

Self-report tests assess what? Performance tests assess what?

Answer 9

• typical behaviour

- assessing the limits of what the person can do

Question 10

What is the advantage of an individually administered test, over a group test?

Answer 10

Allows the tester to observe the performance of the person, and clarify the answers if needed

Question 11

Most of the psychological tests developed and available commercially are what type of tests?

Answer 11

Norm-referenced

Question 12

Where are criterion-referenced tests more likely to be administered, and why?

Answer 12

Educational settings; assessing learning outcomes

Question 13

To be a competent psychologist with regard to psychological testing, the psychologist needs which two traits?

Answer 13

• familiarity with the major psychological constructs commonly assessed
• be aware of the advantages and limitations of using a psychological test

Question 14

When deciding on whether to administered a test, what should a psychologist’s first step be?

Answer 14

Check books/databases (such as Tests in Print, or Tests) and see which tests are available, the relevant criteria/uses for the client, and whether they have permission to purchase

Question 15

Where could a psychologists look to obtain information about test strengths and limitations?

Answer 15

• Manuals of the test under consideration
• specialised test review volumes
• journals
• colleagues/supervisors

Question 16

Most of the technical information about a specific test can be found where?

Answer 16

In its own manual

Question 17

Specialists volumes and journals differ with regard to psychological tests in what way?

Answer 17

Journals are less systematic in format and length, but more up-to-date

Question 18

Name the 5 sections of the review process of a psychological test in the MMY

Answer 18

• description
• development
• technical
• commentary
• summary

Question 19

What are the 4 factors that need to be considered before administered a psychological test?

Answer 19

• ensure that the test is appropriate for use with the particular client
• ensure a suitable venue is selected
• check that all test materials are present and intact
• ensure adequate time is spent becoming familiar with the test

Question 20

What are some of the most common errors in scoring psychological tests?

Answer 20

• miscalculations
• incorrectly reading tables
• incorrectly transferring scores on test forms

Question 21

Compared with measurement in the physical sciences, measurement in psychology is _____ precise and _____ prone to error. It follows that the final score obtained cannot be what?

Answer 21

Less; More; Taken as absolute

Question 22

Are extraneous factors taken into account when interpreting test results?

Answer 22

Yes as they can influence teat performance and need to be ruled out as alternative explanations for scores

Question 23

One of the aspects of psychological testing and assessment that is not usually emphasised - or sometimes not even discussed - is what?

Answer 23

The importance of maintaining a clearly labelled and well-organised file of cases that have been seen

Question 24

Ethics can be defined simply as what?

Answer 24

The formulation of principles to guide behaviour with respect to clients, colleagues, and he general public

Question 25

One obvious advantage of employing a psychologist for conducting testing and assessment is what?

Answer 25

That they are bound by a code of professional ethics

Question 26

How do ethics and morality differ?

Answer 26

Morality pertains to a pervasive set of values to live by

Ethics focuses on principles to guide behaviour in certain situations

Question 27

What are the 3 broad ethics principles?

Answer 27

General principle A - respect for the rights and dignity of people and peoples
General principle B - propriety
General principle C - integrity

Question 28

Cattell tried to develop a ____ test of intelligence, but settled for a ____ test of intelligence instead, which did what?

Answer 28

Culture free; Culture fair; Reduced the effects of language and culture rather than eliminates them

Question 29

What is a culture fair test?

Answer 29

One for which there is no systematic distortion of scores resulting from differences in the cultural background of the test takers

Question 30

Clutter fair tests need to have equivalence in which psychometric properties?

Answer 30

Construct validity

Predictive or criterion validity

Question 31

Define adverse impact

Answer 31

When there are differences in average scores across cultures

Question 32

Bias must be determined independently of what?

Answer 32

Average differences

Question 33

Is psychological testing the same as assessment?

Answer 33

?

Question 34

Why are some of the major areas of professional psychology, and what are their specialities?

Answer 34

?

Question 35

Why do we need ethical principles to guide the practice of psychological testing and assessment?

Answer 35

?

Question 36

How may cultural differences influence scores on a test?

Answer 36

?

Question 37

What needs to be considered in determining whether or not a test is culture fair?

Answer 37

?

Question 38

What are the main steps in psychological testing?

Answer 38

• determine whether a psychological test is needed for a particular client
• select an appropriate and technically sound psychological test
• administer psychological test
• score psychological test results
• interpret psychological test results
• communicate results and findings of psychological test to the client/referral agent
• record and file client’s psychological test record forms and test results