Introduction to Psychological Testing

Question 1

List the 4 critical assumptions in psychological testing.

Answer 1

1. People differ in important ways
2. There is an ability to quantify these traits (we make comparisons between people and groups)
3. Traits are relatively stable within individuals (reliability—snapshot of individual)
4. Measures of the traits relate to actual behavior (observation)

Question 2

What are the key questions about tests?

Answer 2

1. Reliability (how stable is a measurement over time?)
2. Validity (are you testing what you intended?)
3. Norms (framework for interpreting a test; am I measuring what I intend to measure? How does the score you receive compare to the comparison group?; what group has been used to create the test)
4. Bias (could your norm, questions, or response style be biased?)
5. Test development (how was the test developed? Under what conditions—look at underlying construct [factor analysis])

Question 3

What is a test?

Answer 3

some form of process or device, standardized procedure (same conditions for all people writing the test), yields information, sample of behavior (snapshot of behavior; single assessment does not make determination of individual), information about behavior/cognitive process, observation is quantified
A test is a standardized process or device that yields information about a sample of behavior or
cognitive process in a quantified manner

Question 4

What are the different types of tests? Describe each.

Answer 4

1. Self-report measure: well defined set of questions that the person will respond to about themselves (or someone else)
2. Performance tests (given a well-defined task and asked to perform to maximum ability; speeded tests: come up with as many answers as possible in a set time, power tests: not time limited, and test takers are expected to answer all the test questions)
3. Behavioral tests (observe a person’s normal behavior within a given setting—more external validity)

Question 5

What is a construct?

Answer 5

Constructs: concepts for understanding, describing and predicting human behavior; cannot be directly observed.

Question 6

What are the two components of a construct?

Answer 6

1. Abstract properties (abstract summaries of some regularity in nature)
2. Connected to concrete observable behavior in nature

Question 7

What are the assumptions about constructs?

Answer 7

1. Inference that observative behavior is linked to unobservable behavior via theory. 2. Assume that the unobservable behavior is an actual construct that is real “hypothetical construct”