Psychological Assessment Quiz Flashcards
- An examiner administering an individual vocabulary test to a number of third graders allows each child to take as long as he or she wishes to answer each question. This is a violation of the principle of
a. standardization.
b. confidentiality.
c. norming.
d. best interest of the client.
a. standardization
A psychologist wants to assess the presence and/or extent of brain damage in a client who has been in an automobile accident. What type of testing would be most useful in this context?
a. Neuropsychological testing
b. Aptitude testing
c. Achievement testing
d. Creativity testing
a. Neuropsychological testing
Which of the following expresses a key difference between Terman’s 1916 version of the Stanford-Binet and earlier versions?
a. Terman’s version increased the range of persons to whom the scale applied, from the mentally retarded to “superior” adults.
b. Terman decreased the number of items to make the scale more practical to administer.
c. Terman increased the emphasis on practical intelligence rather than language skills.
d. Terman revised the test to include a number of subscale scores as well as one overall score.
a. Terman’s version increased the range of persons to whom the scale applied, from the mentally retarded to “superior” adults.
One distinction between the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the NEO-Personality Inventory-3 (NPI-3) is that the MBTI
a. is based on Jungian theory, while the NPI-3 is based on the consensus model of personality.
b. includes measures of folk concepts like tolerance and flexibility, while the NPI-3 does not.
c. is a structured personality test, while the NPI-3 is a projective personality test.
d. was originally developed for pre-employment testing, while the NPI-3 was originally for use in medical settings.
a. is based on Jungian theory, while the NPI-3 is based on the consensus model of personality.
What is the difference between a positively skewed and negatively skewed data?
a. Positively skewed data has many values at the low end of the scale, while negatively skewed data has many values at the high end of the scale.
b. Positively skewed data has a wide range of values, while negatively skewed data has only a few values.
c. Positively skewed data is roughly symmetrical, while negatively skewed data is strongly asymmetrical.
d. Positively skewed data has many values near the center of the distribution, while negatively skewed data has many values at both extremes.
a. Positively skewed data has many values at the low end of the scale, while negatively skewed data has many values at the high end of the scale.
In a testing situation, some students have to sit near a noisy radiator that impairs their ability to hear instructions regarding the test. Other students in the same room can hear the instructions clearly. What key assumption of classical test theory is violated by this situation?
a. Measurement errors are random.
b. True scores and measurement error are uncorrelated.
c. The mean of measurement error is zero.
d. Measurement error is always systematic.
a. Measurement errors are random.
One difference between reliability and validity is that reliability
a. can be summarized by a single number, while validity is usually evaluated on a continuum.
b. is defined in terms of a particular set of examinees, while validity is independent of any group of examinees.
c. can only be established over a period of time, while validity can be established fairly quickly in the test development process.
d. includes considerations of how a test is used, while validity is an internal quality of a test.
a. can be summarized by a single number, while validity is usually evaluated on a continuum.
A test correctly identifies most patients who have a particular disease, and also classifies many as having the disease that do not have it. This test has
a. high sensitivity and low specificity.
b. high sensitivity and high specificity.
c. low sensitivity and high specificity.
d. low sensitivity and low specificity.
a. high sensitivity and low specificity
One key difference between Western and Eastern conception of intelligence is that Western conceptions emphasize
a. factors such as skills and problem-solving, while Eastern conceptions emphasize factors such as benevolence and doing the right thing.
b. speed and fluidity in verbal communication, while Eastern conceptions emphasize practical matters such as solving problems.
c. mathematical and spatial abilities, while Eastern conceptions emphasize verbal abilities.
d. speed of mental processing, while Eastern conceptions emphasize untimed measurements.
a. factors such as skills and problem-solving, while Eastern conceptions emphasize factors such as benevolence and doing the right thing.
Which of the following expresses a true distinction in the process of evaluating students for learning disability?
a. Poor performance on group achievement tests may suggest the need to evaluate a student for learning disability, but the diagnosis of learning disability should be based on individual achievement testing.
b. Inappropriate classroom behavior may suggest the need to evaluate a student for learning disability, but the diagnosis of learning disability should be based on the student’s performance on standardized group tests.
c. Individual achievement testing may suggest the need to evaluate a student for learning disability, but the diagnosis of learning disability should be based on grades and classroom behavior reports.
d. Low grades and inappropriate classroom behavior may suggest the need to evaluate a student for learning disability, but the diagnosis of learning disability should be based on the results of group achievement testing.
a. Poor performance on group achievement tests may suggest the need to evaluate a student for learning disability, but the diagnosis of learning disability should be based on individual achievement testing.
One key difference between achievement and aptitude tests is that achievement tests
a. assess current attainment, while aptitude tests estimate future performance.
b. estimate current intellectual level, while aptitude tests assess current mastery of skills.
c. focus on a broad array of intellectual abilities, while aptitude tests focus on a narrower, more focused range of abilities.
d. focus on a student’s potential, while aptitude tests focus on a student’s current proficiency.
a. assess current attainment, while aptitude tests estimate future performance.
A researcher wants to study age-related changes in ability, using a design to control for as many confounding factors as possible. Her best choice is a
a. cross-sequential design.
b. longitudinal design.
c. cross-sectional design.
d. cohort design.
a. cross-sequential design.
Which of the following represents a true distinction between cross-sectional and longitudinal designs?
a. Cross-sectional designs can be used to compare differences across cohorts, while longitudinal designs can be used to compare differences within cohorts.
b. Cross-sectional designs are sensitive to changes in methodology, while longitudinal designs are relatively impervious to changes in methodology.
c. Cross-sectional designs study the same individuals multiple times, while longitudinal designs study different individuals each time.
d. Cross-sectional designs are prone to practice effects, while longitudinal designs are not subject to practice effects.
a. Cross-sectional designs can be used to compare differences across cohorts, while longitudinal designs can be used to compare differences within cohorts.
One distinction between the type of tests used with infants, and compared to those used with preschool children, is that tests used with infants
a. tend to evaluate primarily sensory and motor development, while test used for preschooler tend to measure primarily cognitive skills.
b. measure primarily nonverbal abilities, while test used for preschooler tend to measure primarily verbal skills.
c. tend to evaluate primarily emotional development, while test used for preschooler tend to measure primarily intellectual development.
d. tend to evaluate the ability to learn, while test used for preschooler tend to measure primarily skills already learned.
a. tend to evaluate primarily sensory and motor development, while test used for preschooler tend to measure primarily cognitive skills.
Which of the following expresses a key distinction between social learning theorists and radical behaviorists?
a. Social learning theorists believe cognitions have a place in explaining behavior, while radical behaviorists do not.
b. Social learning theorists do not believe reward and punishment is useful in explaining behavior, while radical behaviorists do.
c. Social learning theorists do not believe expectations guide behavior, while radical behaviorists do.
d. Social learning theorists believe the environment helps shape behavior, while radical behaviorists do not.
a. Social learning theorists believe cognitions have a place in explaining behavior, while radical behaviorists do not.
