Personality and IQ testing

Question 1

Measurements

Answer 1

• up to late 19th century measurements of personality characteristics were based of physical attributes, which lacked precision, reliability and flexibility
• tended to use lowest level of measurement: Nominal data
  However;
  Galton - psychometrics proposed new ways of measuring attributes (questionnaires, surveys, reaction times)

Question 2

Psychometric Testing

Answer 2

Important as this data was more appropriate for statistical analysis

• concerned with techniques of psychological measurement
• mostly concerned with the difference between people#

2 types of test

1. Personality tests: measure and reveal aspects of persons personality
2. aptitude testing : measure knowledge in reasoning or language, mathematics, patterns, spatial awareness.

Question 3

Issues with personality tests

Answer 3

• may not measure what we are attempting to measure
• may be different across time and context (found to be affected by mood)
• soial desirability bias
• lack of self awareness, not objective
• cultural

Question 4

IQ test

Answer 4

Issues

• can improve with practice
• may not be a valid measure of intelligence
• cultural and context dependence
• can guess answers 25% chance of guessing correctly