Hausknecht 04

Question 1

Why candidates coose to retest?

Answer 1

1. In academic settings: individuals may retest during the application process to enhance their candidacy for admission
2. In employment context: Retest because their initial score did not lead to a job offer.
3. Research settings: Often prompted by the researcher

Question 2

Expectancy-based model for motivation

Answer 2

helps to explain test-taking motivation and explain the decision to retest in operation settings

Question 3

Motivation is a function of …
(Expectancy-based model for motivation)

Answer 3

1. Valence
2. Instrumentality
3. Expectancy

Question 4

Valence

Answer 4

Degree of attractiveness or desirability of a particular outcome.

Question 5

Instrumentality

Answer 5

Belief that performance will lead to a preferred outcome.

Question 6

Expectancy

Answer 6

Individual’s subjective assessment of probablity of attainment as outcome.

Question 7

Practice effects (def.)

Answer 7

changes in person’s test score from one administration to the next.

Question 8

Mere repetition (def.)

Answer 8

Scores on subsequent administartions could be chnaged as a result of having completed a cognitive ability test in the past (familiarity)

Question 9

Hypotheses

Answer 9

1. Hypothesis 1: Scores on test of cognitive ability will increase across administrations.
2. Hypothesis 2: Practice effects will be positive related to the amount of candidate contact time in test coaching.
3. Hypothesis 3: Practice effects will be positively related to the amount of candidate contact time in formal instructions.
4. Hypothesis 4: Practice effects will be related to study context such that the magnitude of score gains will be greater in operational context than in research contexts.
5. Hypothesis 5a: Practice effect will be related to test form such that the magnitude of score gains will be greater for identical forms that for alternate forms.
6. Hypothesis 5b: Practice effect for identical form will be negatively related to the time interval between tests.
7. Hypothesis 6: Practice effects will be related to cognitive ability dimension such that score gains will be larger for tests of quantitative/analytical ability when compared with measures of verbal ability.

Question 10

Moderators

Answer 10

1. Test coaching
2. Formal instruction
3. Study Context
4. Test form

Question 11

Test coaching (def.)

Answer 11

Involves instruction aimed at improving test scores and can be considered along a continuum (practice/instructions) – test-taking strategies/subject matter review.

Question 12

Formal instruction (def.)

Answer 12

Long-term, intensive study, such as schooling – is targeted at developing widely applicable intellectual skills, work habits and problem-solving strategies.

Question 13

Study Context (def.)

Answer 13

Operational context – candidates choose to retest on their own, research settings – experimental is responsible for retesting (Self-selection factors)

Question 14

Test form (def.)

Answer 14

Practice effects may vary depending on whether the second test is the same as the first or whether it is an alternate form (benefits will dissipate due to memory decay)

Question 15

Cognitive ability dimension (def.)

Answer 15

Practice effects may differ among cognitive ability dimensions because candidates can systematically apply general problem-solving skills to some items and not to other.

Question 16

What kind of cognitive ability dimensions are there?

Answer 16

1. Verbal ability: language skills
2. Quantitative ability: mathematics skills
3. Analytical ability: ability to use logic (inductive and deductive reasoning)

Question 17

Regression to the mean (def.)

Answer 17

Occurs when there is an imperfect correlation between two variables and when extreme groups are selected for study.

Question 18

Criteria inlcusion (Method)

Answer 18

1. A measure of cognitive ability was collected on at least 2 occasions.
2. Available data were sufficient to calculate an effect size.
3. Participants were from a normal population.

Question 19

Overall practice effects (Hypothesis 1):

Answer 19

Scores improved about one quarter of a standard deviation across the first and second administration of a cognitive ability test (d = .24) – Hypothesis 1 was supported!

Question 20

Interrelationship between moderators:

Answer 20

1. Relationship between instruction time and study context was statistically significant (r = .37)
2. Relationship between coaching time and test form was statistically significant (r = .20)

Question 21

Results of moderator analysis of practice effects (weighted least square regression):

Answer 21

1. Test form and coaching time emerge as statistically significant.
2. Study context and formal instructions time do not.