Test 1 Flashcards
Def: Quantitative
it is subject to numerical qualification. actual measurement
Def: a psychological test
the measurement instrument (ie. measurement tool or technique) that consists of a sample of behaviour obtained under standardized conditions and evaluated using established scoring rules
- helps to make inferences about human attributes, traits, characteristics or future outcomes
Def: Measurement
is a set of rules for assigning numbers to traits, objects, attributes, skills, behaviour etc
Def: assessment
is a systematic procedure for collecting information that can be used to make inferences/predictions about people (ex. an interview or observation)
Differences between psychological assessment and psychological test
psychological assessments are broader concepts. they use multiple methods like history interviews, behaviour observations, etc. assessments can be both subjective and objective. psychological tests are sometimes used in psychological assessments
Differences between surveys and psychological tests
surveys focus on group outcomes while psychological tests focus on individual outcomes. The results of a psychological test are often report in terms of an overall derived score or scaled scores. Results of surveys are often reported at the question level by providing the percentage of respondents who selected each answer alternative
Def: Psychological construct
the underlying observable traits, attributes, characteristics, or behaviours that tests are designed to describe, understand, and measure
what are the characteristics of a good psychological test
- All good test representatively sample the behaviours thought to measure an attribute or thought to predict an outcome
- All good tests include behaviour samples that are obtained under standardized conditions. The test must be administered to everybody in the same way
- All good tests have rules for scoring. These rules ensure that all examiners will score the same set of the responses in the same way
what is behaviour sampling
• It is a sample of behaviour
It is not an exhaustive measure- it is too difficult to evaluate every single behaviour.
Ex. You cannot look at every single performance an athlete does in their sport, but you can look at certain aspects such as the athletes running ability such as their speed
The test must somehow be representative of behaviours that would be observed outside of the testing situation
what is standardization
Each individual taking a psychological or educational test should be tested under essentially identical conditions (ie. A standardized sample)
define standardized test
one that has been administered to a large group of individuals who are similar to the group from whom the test has been designed for
define unstandardized test
does not have standardization samples and are more common than standardized tests. usually constructed by a teacher or trainer in a less formal manner for single administration Ex. university midterm
Define projective tests
are those on which test takers view and are asked to responsd to unstructured or ambiguous stimuli such as images or incomplete sentences. the role of the test taker is less clear and more subjectivity is involved in interpreting the test taker’s response
define objective tests
test which make test takers choose a response or provide a response and there are predetermined correct answers
define objective scoring rules
most mass-produced tests fall in this category. different qualified examiners will all come to the same score for an identical set of responses
define subjective scoring rules
when the judgement of the examiner is an important part of the test, different examiners can legitimately come to different conclusions concerning the same sample of behaviour. the conclusions should be similar however
define maximum performance test
tests in which the subject performs a task to the best of their ability
define behaviour observation tests
tests that involve observation of the subjects behaviour within a particular context
what category is behaviour observation tests and self measure tests considered under?
typical tests
define achievement tests
measures a persons previous learning in a specific academic area
ex. the midterm for this class
define ability test (aptitude test)
measures a test taker’s knowledge in a specific are at a specific point in time
measures cognitive abilities and skills accumulated from life experiences
define speed test
measures difference in speed of performance
ex. how fast can you type a set of words
define power test
measures the difficulty of theorems that the participant is able to answer correctly (no time limit)
ex. how far can someone run. there is no time limit you just run until you cant anymore
define subject tests
tests classified by subjects like an English test or science test
define self-report instruments
participant is asked to report his or her feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, etc
when does self- report make sense?
- self-report relies upon the test taker’s awareness and honesty
- it is the best method to measure internal states- things only the person themselves can be aware of the judge
- provide an estimate
what are the 7 reasons why psychological testing is important
- Allows us to make important decisions about people- because there are comparison points
- Allows us to describe & understand behaviour as objectively as possible
- Measures personal attributes
- Measures performance
- Saves time
- Most economical
Because it saves time it is economical. We can get a lot of data in a short amount of time. When we save time we save money - Its scientific
- It is a tool and can be seen as integral piece (if appropriately used)
the types of psychological decisions:
- individual
- institutional
- comparative
- absolute
what is an individual psychological decision
how an individual sees themselves through testing. you reflecting on your own results. ex. reflecting on how you feel u did on an interview
what is an institutional psychological decision
how another individual or entity sees you
ex. how the interviewer makes a decision makes on how they feel the interview went and how you answered the questions posed in the interview
what is a comparative psychological decision
comparing a number of people to see who has the best score
ex. the interview compares your interview to the interview of another candidate
what is an absolute psychological decision
decisions made by other/entities based on minimum score needed to qualify. in this decision you must need to certain score to be chosen. Ex. needing a certain average to get a scholarship
what does KSAO stand for
knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics
when is organizational testing used?
- testing competency
- hiring/job selection
- Job placement, training & development