Chapter 4: Of Tests and Testing Flashcards
Assumptions about Psychological Testing and Assessment
Psychological Traits and States Exist
Psychological Traits and States can be Quantified and Measured
Test-Related Behavior Predict 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 can Benefit Society
Trait
Any distingishable, relatively enduring way in which one individual varies from one another
States
Distinguish one person from another but are relatively less enduring;
Psychological Trait
Examples are traits that relate to intelligence, specific intellectual abilities, cognitive style, adjustment, interests, attitudes, sexual orientation and preferences, psychopathology, personality in general and specific personality traits
Androgynous
Referring to an absence of primacy of male or female characteristic
Liberated
Freed from constraints of gender-dependent social expectations
New Age
Refers to a particular nonmainstream orientation to spirituality and health
Construct
An informed, scientific concept developed or constructed to describe or explain behavior; cannot be seen, heard or touched but existence can be inferred from overt behavior
Overt Behavior
Refers to an observable action or the product of an observable action, including test- or assessment-related responses
Relatively Enduring
Reminder that a trait is not expected to be manifested in behavior 100% of the time; important to be aware of the context or situation in which a particular behavior is displayed
Definition of Trait and State
Refer to a way in which one individual varies from another;
Reference Group
Can greatly influence one’s conclusions or judgments
Weighing a Comparative Value of a Test’s Items
Comes about as a result of a complex interplay among many factors, including technical considerations, the way a construct has been defined for the purposes of the test, and the value society (and the test developer) attaches to the behaviors evaluated
Test Score
Presumed to represent the strength of the targeted ability or trait or state and is frequently based on cumulative scoring
Domain Sampling
Refer to either a sample of behaviors from all possible behaviors that could conceivably be indicative of a particular construct or a sample of test items from all possible items that could conceivably be used to measure a particular construct
Forensic Matters
Psychological tests may be used to postdict behavior
Postdict
To aid in the understanding of behavior that has already taken place
Competent Test Users
Understand how a test was developed, the circumstances under which it is appropriate to administer the test, how the test should be administered and to whom, how the test results should be interpreted; understand and appreciate the limitations of the tests they use as well as how those limitations might be compensated for by data from other sources
Error in Assessment
Something that is more than expected; actually a component of measurement process; refers to a long-standing assumtion that factors other than what a test attempts to measure will influence performance on the test
Error Variance
The component of a test score attribtable to sources other than the trait or ability measured
Sources of Error Variance
Assessess themselves; Assessors, Measuring Instruments
Classical or True Score Theory of Measurement
EAch testtaker has a true score on a test that would be obtained but for the random action of measurement error
Characteristics of a Good Test
Reliability and Validity
Reliability
Involves consistency of the measuring tool: the precision with which the test measures and the extent to which error is present in measurements; the perfectly reliable measuring tool consistently measures in the same way; it yields the same numerical measurement every timeit measures the same thing under the same conditions
Validity
It measures what it’s supposed to measure; focuses on items that collectively make up the test;
Norms
Provide a standard with which the results of a measure ment can be compared
Norm-Referenced TEsting and Assessment
A 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; common goal is to yield information on a testtaker’s standing or ranking relative to some comparison group of testtakers
Norm
Refers to behavior that is usual, average, normal, standard, expected, or typical
Norms in Psychometric Context
Test performance data of a particular group of testtakers that are designed for use as a reference when evaluating or interpreting individual test scores
Normative sample
Group of people whose performance on a particular test is analyzed for reference in evaluating the performance of individual testtakers
Norming
Refers to the process of deriving norms; may be modified to describe a particular type of norm derivation
User/Program Norms
Consist of descriptive statistics based on a group of testtakers in a given period of time rather than norms obtained by formal sampling methods
Test Standardization/Standardization
Process of administering a test to a representative sample of testtakers for the purpose of establishing norms