Chapter 4 Flashcards
7 assumptions about psychological testing and assessment
- Psychological Traits and States Exist
- Psychological Traits and States Can Be Quantified
and Measured - Test-Related Behavior Predicts Non-Test-Related
Behavior - Tests and Other Measurement Techniques
Have Strengths and Weaknesses - Various Sources of Error Are Part of the Assessment
Process - Testing and Assessment Can Be Conducted
in a Fair and Unbiased Manner - Testing and Assessment Benefit Society
Any distinguishable, relatively
enduring way in which one individual varies from another
Trait
Distinguish one person from another but are
relatively less enduring
States
Informed,
scientific concept developed or constructed to describe or
explain behavior.
Construct
Observable action
or the product of an observable action, including test- or
assessment-related responses.
Overt behavior
To aid in
the understanding of behavior that has already taken place.
Postdict
Refers to a long-standing assumption that factors other than what a
test attempts to measure will influence performance on the test.
Error
Component of
a test score attributable to sources other than the trait or ability
measured.
Error variance
Assumption is made that each testtaker has a true
score on a test that would be obtained but for the random action of
measurement error.
Classical or true score theory
Logical criteria for a good test
Clear
instructions for administration, scoring, and interpretation.
Technical criteria for a good test (3)
Reliability
Validity
Other considerations
Involves the consistency of the measuring tool
RELIABILITY
Refers to the extent that a test measures what it purports
to measure
VALIDITY
Method of
evaluation and a way of deriving meaning from test scores by
evaluating an individual testtaker’s score and comparing it
to scores of a group of testtakers.
Norm-referenced testing and assessment
Behavior that is usual, average, normal, standard, expected, or
typical.
Norm
Group of people whose performance
on a particular test is analyzed for reference in evaluating the
performance of individual testtakers.
Normative sample
The process of administering a test to a representative sample
of testtakers for the purpose of establishing norms
Standardization or Test standardization
Portion of
the universe of people deemed to be representative of the whole
population.
Sample of the population
The process of selecting the portion of the universe deemed to be
representative of the whole population
Sampling
Subgroups within a defined population may differ with respect to
some characteristics, and it is sometimes essential to have these
differences proportionately represented
Stratified
sampling
If such sampling were random (that is, if every member of the
population had the same chance of being included in the sample)
Stratified-random sampling
If we arbitrarily select some sample because we believe it to be
representative of the population
Purposive sample
One that is
convenient or available for use.
Incidental sample or Convenience sample
8 types of norms
• age norms
• grade norms
• national norms
• national anchor norms
• local norms
•norms from a fixed reference group
•subgroup norms
•percentile norms.
Raw data from a test’s standardization sample
converted to percentile form.
PERCENTILE NORMS
Term applied broadly to norms developed on the basis of any trait, ability, skill,
or other characteristic that is presumed to develop, deteriorate, or otherwise be
affected by chronological age, school grade, or stage of life.
DEVELOPMENTAL NORMS
Also known as age-equivalent scores; indicate the average performance
of different samples of testtakers who were at various ages at the time the test was
administered.
Age norms
Derived from a normative sample that was nationally representative
of the population at the time the norming study was conducted.
NATIONAL NORMS
Provide some stability to test scores by anchoring
them to other test scores.
NATIONAL ANCHOR NORMS
Results of a normative sample that is segmented by any of the criteria
initially used in selecting subjects for the sample.
Subgroup norms
Provide normative information with respect to the local
population’s performance on some test.
LOCAL NORMS
Standard on which a judgment or
decision may be based.
Criterion
Method of evaluation and a way of deriving meaning from test
scores by evaluating an individual’s score with reference to a set
standard.
Criterion-referenced testing and assessment
