Introduction to psychometrics Flashcards
define psychometrics
The measurement of various psychological constructs involving the use of standardized tests, questionnaires, and other assessment tools.
what does psychometrics aim to obtain?
numerical or qualitative data that can be used to evaluate and compare individuals or groups.
what does psychometrics include?
development, application, validation and interpretation of psychological tests.
what is a key goal of psychometrics?
develop reliable and valid measurement tools that can accurately asses psychological constructs of interest
What do psychometrics involve?
manipulation and interpretation of numbers, attention to the design and administration of tests, statistical analysis of resulting data.
what statistical techniques are used in psychometrics?
factor analysis, item response theory, and classical test theory.
what do psychometric statistical techniques aim to do?
asses the reliability and validity of the tests.
what is measurement?
the process of assigning numerical values or scores to objects and events according to rules - done in a systematic way to represent certain properties of the individual.
what is a test?
any measurement device or technique used to quantify behavior -
what do tests aim to do?
help understand and predict behavior
what do psychological tests aim to do?
operationally define and quantify the things it measures.
define ‘psychological measurement’
the measurement of human behavior
what is the term for behavior that is observable?
overt behavior
define covert behavior
mental, social or physical action that is not immediately observable
what is a psychological test?
a test/systematic procedure designed to provide quantitative analysis of a person’s mental capacities or traits, typically as shown by responses to a series of standardized questions or statements (test)
how do we quantify behavior?
through test items
what do test items aim to do?
quantify behavior.
what is a test item?
a specific stimulus to which a person responds overtly - such as test questions, tasks a person must perform, response to a statement etc.
what are psychological tests used for?
obtaining samples of behavior relevant to cognitive or affective functioning, and scoring and evaluating those samples according to standards
what is an individual test?
a psychological test designed to be administered to one person at a time
what are the advantages of individual tests?
useful for collecting comprehensive and very detailed information , can carefully control testing conditions and test administration.
what are the disadvantages of individual tests?
usually some degree of subjectivity in the scoring, time, cost, and labor intensive
what is a group test?
a psychological test designed to be administered to more than one person at a time.
what are the advantages of a group test?
scoring is usually more objective, economical and time saving.
what are the disadvantages of a group test?
cannot obtain in depth information, difficult to standardize testing conditions
what are ability tests?
tests that measure skills in terms of speed, accuracy, or both.
what are tests that measure skills in terms of speed, accuracy, or both, referred to?
ability tests
name the types of ability tests
achievement tests, aptitude tests and intelligence tests
what do aptitude ability tests measure?
potential for acquiring a specific skill/learning, capability of learning a specific task or acquiring a specific skill
which ability test measures the potential for acquiring a specific skill/learning?
aptitude ability test
what do achievement ability tests measure?
previous learning
which ability test measures previous learning?
achievement ability test
what do intelligence ability tests measure?
general mental abilities, intellectual functioning
which ability test measures general mental abilities?
intelligence ability test
what do personality tests measure?
typical behavior; traits, temperaments, dispositions etc. designed to measure a persons individuality
define a structured personality test
objective - consists of self-reported statements where the test-taker would choose between 2 or more response options
define an unstructured personality test
projective - personality tests require spontaneous responses from test-takers, that is, they are not given an option of answers.
what are the types of personality tests?
structured and unstructured
what is the difference between a structured and unstructured personality test?
structured personality tests are objective, they consist of self-reported statements where the test taker has the option of choosing between two or more answers, unstructured personality tests are projective, they require spontaneous responses from test takers, test takers are not given options of answers.
what is TAT?
Thematic Apperception Test - example of a projective (unstructured) personality test. consists of 31 ambiguous pictures shown to the test-taker. The test-taker is then asked to make up a story of what is happening in each picture separately.
What does TAT aim to reveal?
the test-taker’s attitudes, inner conflicts, and inner motives. It is also supposed to tell us something about how important achievement, power, and intimacy are for the test-taker.
what categories refer to the mode of interpretation of tests?
norm and criterion referenced tests
define norm-referenced tests
tests where the score you get on the test is judged against the distribution of scores obtained by the other test-takers. (distribution is called the norm)
what do norm-referenced tests result in?
ranking the performance of the person in a particular group.
what do norm-referenced tests do?
compares an individuals results on the test with a statistically representative sample
define criterion-referenced tests
compare an individual’s results to a criterion or expected level of performance
what do criterion-referenced tests do?
establishes the standard/requirements or what is referred to as the criterion – and then mark individuals against it
