Introduction to Psychological Testing Flashcards
Mental age
a concept related to intelligence. It looks at how a specific individual (usually a child), at a specific age, performs intellectually, compared to average intellectual performance for that individual’s actual chronological age (i.e. time elapsed since birth)
Objective procedure
the use of the same standardised materials, administration instructions, time limits and scoring procedures for all test takers
Definition
Divide frequency distributions into equal fourths
Quartile
Educational and developmental psychologist
a psychologist who specialises in assessing and treating children and adults with learning and developmental needs
What are the 7 assumptions of testing and assessment?
- Psychological traits and states exist
- Psychological traits and states can be quantified and measured
- Test-related behaviour predict non-test-related behaviour
- Tests and other measurement techniques have strengths and weaknesses
- Various sources of error are part of the measurement process
- Testing can be conducted in a fair and unbiased manner
- Testing/assessment benefits society
Psychometric properties
the criteria that a psychological test has to fulfil in order to be useful; they include how accurate and reproducible the test scores are, and how well the test measures what it intends to measure
Definition
the practice or advocacy of improving the human species by selectively mating people with specific desirable hereditary traits.
Eugenics
T score
a score standardised to a distribution with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10
Psychological assessment
a broad process of answering referral questions, which includes but is not limited to psychological testing
Definition
the application of neuropsychological tests and other data-collection techniques to answer referral questions or solve problems for individuals with a known or suspected brain injury
Neuropsychological assessment
Definition
a linear transformation of test scores that expresses the distance of each score from the mean of the distribution of scores in units of the standard deviation of the distribution
Z score
Definition
A type of psychological test to determine preference for activities or choices. Used to determine occupational or social choices
Interest Inventory
Definition
a test devised to measure intelligence while relying as little as possible on culture-specific knowledge (e.g. language); tests are devised to be suitable across different peoples, with the goal to measure fluid rather than crystallised intelligence
Culture fair test
Definition
a scale that has the properties of an interval scale but also has a true zero
Ratio scale
Ordinal scale
a scale that has the property of a nominal scale, but also identifies an ordering of objects in terms of the attribute
Definition
tables of the distribution of scores on a test for specified groups in a population that allow interpretation of any individual’s score on the test by comparison to the scores for a relevant group
Norms
Which region developed test batteries for a range of issues from 206BC to 200CE?
China
Definition
a psychological test that requires test takers to respond by answering questions or solving problems; they are usually administered individually
Performance test
Self-report test
a psychological test that requires test takers to report their behaviour or experience; these tests can be administered individually or in a group
Clinical psychologist
a psychologist who specialises in the diagnosis, assessment, treatment and prevention of psychological and mental health problems
Definition
a broad process of answering referral questions, which includes but is not limited to psychological testing
Psychological assessment
Meritocracy
government or the holding of power by people selected according to merit
Why do we use psychological testing?
Classification
Diagnosis and treatment planning
Self-knowledge
Program evaluation
Research
What type of data is BMI?
Interval
Definition
the notion that a psychological test loses its utility because the theory that is was based on has been shown to be wrong, or because the content of its items is no longer appropriate because of social or cultural change
Test obsolescence
Definition
a test to assess future learning potential
Aptitude test
What type of data is the list of students in a lab class?
Nominal data
Forensic psychologist
a psychologist who specialises in the provision of psychological services relating to the legal and criminal justice areas
What are the differences in the evaluator of testing and assessment?
Testing: Should have no influence
Assessment: Key to process. Selection of tools and formulation of conclusions
What type of data is degrees C? What about K?
Degrees C is interval
K is ratio (absolute 0!)
How has psychological testing been used in the past?
Eugenics - Galton promoted the improvement of the human species through selective parenthood.
Others such as Goodard and Jensen furthered this
Norms
tables of the distribution of scores on a test for specified groups in a population that allow interpretation of any individual’s score on the test by comparison to the scores for a relevant group
Creativity Test
A type of ability test for novel or original thinking and finding unique solutions
Eugenics
the practice or advocacy of improving the human species by selectively mating people with specific desirable hereditary traits.
Definition
a concept related to intelligence. It looks at how a specific individual (usually a child), at a specific age, performs intellectually, compared to average intellectual performance for that individual’s actual chronological age (i.e. time elapsed since birth)
Mental age
What type of data is the race placings?
Ordinal
What are the differences in objective between testing and assessment?
Testing: Gauge an individual ability. Scored and categorised
Assessment: Answer a referral question. Solve a problem. Use multiple tools of evaluation
How did WWI and WWII contribute to development of psychological tests?
There was a great need for group testing. Some tests were needed to test intelligence in illiterate adults (Army Beta). WWII gave rise to the role of a clinical psychologist as the tester
Definition
a psychologist who specialises in assessing and treating children and adults with learning and developmental needs
Educational and developmental psychologist
Interest Inventory
A type of psychological test to determine preference for activities or choices. Used to determine occupational or social choices
Definition
a psychologist who specialises in the area of work, human resource management and organisational training and development
Organisational psychologist
What was personality testing post WWII designed to measure?
Behaviour and measured ability rather than ability.
What type of data is speed?
Ratio
Definition
A type of ability test for novel or original thinking and finding unique solutions
Creativity Test
Behavioural procedures
a type of psychological test that describes or counts behaviour
Psychological test
an objective procedure for sampling and quantifying human behaviour to make inferences about a particular psychological construct or constructs using standardised stimuli and methods of administration and scoring
Intelligence test
A type of ability test for specific ability or global area