Chapter 3 - Assessment, Effect Size and Ethics

Question 1

What are some widely used personality tests?

Answer 1

• MMPI
• CPI
• 16 PF
• SVIB
• HPI

Question 2

What kind of data do most personality tests provide?

Answer 2

S-Data (some can also provide B-Data)

Question 3

Describe the theory behind implicit association tests?

Answer 3

people who implicitly know they have a certain trait will respond faster when the trait is paired with “me”

Question 4

What is the difference in what S-Data and implicit measures in implicit association tests?

Answer 4

S-Data measures can sometimes predict consciously controlled behaviours better (ex. how long someone talks for) while implicit measures predict more spontaneous behaviours (ex. facial expression)

Question 5

What is a projective personality test?

Answer 5

A test that presents a person with an ambiguous stimulus and are asked to describe what is seen

Question 6

What is the theory behind projective personality tests?

Answer 6

Answers reveal inner psychological needs, feelings, experiences, thought processes, or other hidden aspects of the mind

Question 7

What are the most popular projective tests?

Answer 7

• Rorschach test
• Draw a person test
• Thematic apperception test

Question 8

What are some disadvantages to using projective tests?

Answer 8

1. validity of evidence is scarce
2. expensive and time consuming
3. a psychologist cannot be sure of the meaning
4. other, less expensive tests work as well or better
   4b. very expensive
5. time consuming

Question 9

What are some advantages to using projective tests?

Answer 9

1. Good for ice-breaking

2. Some skilled clinicians may be able to get information not captured in other types of tests

Question 10

How popular are the Rorschach and TAT?

Answer 10

Rorschach used by 82% of clinicians

- it is the 4th most used test

Question 11

How can a clinician get the most out of using projective tests?

Answer 11

• best with two scoring methods

- valid for predicting certain outcomes

Question 12

What is an objective test?

Answer 12

a personality test that consists of a list of questions to be answered by the subject as yes or no, true or false, or a numeric scale

Question 13

Why do objective tests have so many items?

Answer 13

• principle of aggregation (averaging of response)

- spearman-brown formula

Question 14

What is statistical significance?

Answer 14

A result that would only occur by chance 5% of the time (when p < 0.05)

Question 15

What is a p-level?

Answer 15

The probability of obtaining a result from a statistical test if there really is no difference between groups or no relationship between variables

Question 16

What are some problems with NHST?

Answer 16

1. significant does not mean strong or important
2. logic is difficult to describe or understand
3. the p-value is an arbitrary number
4. not significant = not important (which is false)
5. only provides info about probability of one type of error (Type I vs Type II)
6. cannot tell is a result is stable or important

Question 17

How can we make sure our study is good?

Answer 17

Replication!

Question 18

What are the arguments in favour of deception?

Answer 18

1. informed consent
2. usually no harm
3. sometimes unavoidable

Question 19

What are the arguments against deception?

Answer 19

1. no such thing as informed consent with deception
2. unclear when deception stops
3. harms credibility of psychology
4. makes subject suspicious of other studies