Testing and Individual Differences Flashcards
Use these cards to study how psychologists design tests and assess individual differences, such as intelligence. The AP Psych exam devotes 5-7% of its multiple choice questions to the content in this deck.
What is the purpose of a test?
Tests are used to make decisions.
What do psychometricians do?
- measurement psychologists
- analyze psychological data
- test development
- measure mental traits and processes
Define:
constructs
theoretical ideas about a group of events related to behavior
Examples:
intelligence, happiness, honesty
Define norms as it relates to testing.
standards used to compare the scores between test takers
List three traits of a good test.
- standardized
- reliable
- valid
Define standardization as it relates to testing.
Two-part test development process:
- establishes test norms from test results of large sample
- ensures test is administered and scored uniformly for everyone
Define reliability as it relates to testing.
consistency of results over time
What are the four types of reliability?
- test-retest
- split-half
- equivalent (or alternate) form
- interrater
Define:
test-retest reliability
- scores are consistent on a given test when the same participants are tested on two separate occasions
- problematic because of familiarity with test questions
Example:
If you take your French test once on Monday and again on Friday, your scores should be similar.
Define:
split-half reliability
consistency between scores on one half of the test and scores on the other half of the test
Example:
The scores on even-numbered questions should correlate with the scores on odd-numbered questions.
Define:
equivalent form reliability
- two tests with different questions about the same material given to the same participants produce consistent scores
- a.k.a. alternative form reliability
Example:
Your score on the September SAT should be consistent with your score on the October SAT.
Define:
interrater reliability
consistency in scores given by different graders
Example:
If you pass your road test with one instructor, you should pass the test with any instructor.
Define validity as it relates to testing.
extent to which a test accurately measures what it is supposed to
What are the five types of validity?
- face
- content
- criterion-related
- predictive
- construct
Define:
face validity
content of the test reflects the material it is supposed to, according to the test takers
Example:
The AP Psych exam should reflect the material provided in the test outline.
Define:
content validity
content of the test reflects a wide range of the material it is supposed to, not just a small portion
Example:
Research on depression should examine the biological, behavioral, and cognitive aspects.
Define:
criterion-related validity
test scores correlate with other measures of the same material
Example:
Scores on the written driving test should correlate with scores on the road test.
Define:
predictive validity
test scores accurately predict a future result
Example:
High SAT scores should predict high grades in college.
Define:
construct validity
operational defintion of the tested variable agrees with its theoretical construct
Example:
The score on an IQ test should reflect one’s intelligence.
If a test is __________, someone will earn the same score no matter who scores it.
standardized
If a test is __________, someone will earn the same score no matter where, when, or how many times they take the test.
reliable
An algebra exam that contains questions about geography lacks __________.
validity
What is the difference between projective tests and inventory tests?
Projective tests, including the Rorschach Inkblot or TAT, allow for interpretation of ambiguous stimuli, while inventory-type tests require answers to standardized questions.
Define and give an example of:
performance test
- test taker knows how to respond to questions and tries to succeed
- can be speed test or power test
Examples:
IQ tests, SATs, AP exams, road test, classroom tests
What is the difference between a speed test and a power test?
A speed test presents a large number of easy questions in a limited time frame, while a power test presents a varying level of questions and allots more time.
Define and give an example of:
observational test
test taker is assessed on specific behavior or performance
Example:
job interview
Define and give an example of:
self-report test
test taker describes his or her own beliefs, attitudes, feelings, or physical state
Example:
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) and other personality tests
Define and give an example of:
ability test
- examines performance on cognitively demanding tasks, including scholastic performance
- includes aptitude and achievement tests
Examples:
SATs and AP exams
What is the difference between an aptitude test and an achievement test?
- An aptitude test, such as the SAT, predicts a person’s future performance or his/her capacity to learn
- An achievement test, such as the AP Psych exam, assesses what a person has already learned
Define and give an example of:
interest test
uses a person’s likes and dislikes to predict future life satisfaction
Example:
Strong-Cambell Interest Inventory and other career tests
Define and give an example of:
personality test
aims to reveal a consistency in behavior over a wide range of situations
Examples:
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Rorschach Inkblot, and Big Five Factor Inventory
What is the difference between a group test and an individual test?
Group tests:
- given to many people at once by one instructor
- cheaper and more objective
- AP Psych exam is an example
Individual tests:
- require interaction between one test taker and the examiner
- expensive and subjective
- Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test is an example
What are the purposes of ethical standards in testing?
- promote best interest of client
- guard against misuse or malpractice
- monitor test purpose and use of results
- respect client’s confidentiality and dignity
What are culture-relevant tests?
test skills and knowledge related to the specific cultural experiences of the test takers
What is the operational definition of intelligence?
an individual’s capacity to act purposefully, think rationally, and deal effectively with the environment
When is a construct reified?
Reification occurs when a construct, such as intelligence, is treated as if it were a concrete, tangible object.
What was Francis Galton’s contribution to intelligence testing?
- used psychomotor tasks to determine intelligence
- people with high physical ability are more likely to survive, therefore more intelligent
- based work off his cousin, Charles Darwin
Define:
mental age
- age at which typical children give same response to test questions
- based on Alfred Binet’s idea that knowledge becomes more sophisiticated as people get older
The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale was developed by __________.
Lewis Terman
How does the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale measure someone’s intelligent quotient (IQ)?
IQ = MA/CA * 100
MA = mental age
CA = chronological age
What are the five ability areas measured both verbally and nonverbally by the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale?
- knowledge
- fluid reasoning
- working memory
- visual-spatial processing
- quantitative reasoning
What are the three types of Wechsler intelligence scales?
- Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (W.P.P.S.I.)
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (W.I.S.C.)
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (W.A.I.S.)
What are the two types of scores on the Wechsler intelligence scales?
- verbal score (vocabulary, comprehension, arithmetic)
- performance score (picture arrangement, object assembly, block design)
How do the Wechsler scales determine intelligent quotients (IQ)?
- intelligence has a bell curve distribution
- how spread out the scores are from mean of 100
What are the most prominant IQ levels on the Wechsler scale?
- under 70 = cognitively disabled
- 80-115 = normal
- above 130 = gifted
About 68% of the population falls in the normal range.
When are the Wechsler intelligence scales more appropriate to use than the Stanford-Binet?
- Wechsler scales are key in identifying extreme levels of intelligence, including mental retardation and giftedness
- The difference between Wechsler’s verbal and performance scores is helpful in identifying learning disabilities
An appropriate synonym for “mentally retarded” is __________.
cognitively disabled
What are the four levels of mental retardation based on IQ scores?
- under 20 = Profound
- 20-34 = Severe
- 35-49 = Moderate
- 50-70 = Mild
About 85% of cognitively disabled individuals are considered mild.
Explain the differences between mild, moderate, severe, and profound mental retardation.
- mild: self-care, 6th grade education, hold job, live independently, social skills
- moderate: self-care, 2nd grade education, menial job, function in group home
- severe: limited language, requires care, no social skills
- profound: requires complete care
A specific type of deinstitutionalization, known as __________, moved the cognitively disabled out of hospitals and into group or family homes.
normalization
Define:
factor analysis
statistical procedure that identifies common factors within a group of items by determining which variables are most correlated
How did Charles Spearman contribute to intelligence research?
- tested a wide variety of mental tasks on a large number of people
- identified underlying variables g and s
What are Spearman’s g and s variables?
- g* = general factor underlying all intelligence
- s* = less important specialized abilities
Louis Thurstone identified seven distinct intelligence factors, called primary mental abilities.
Name them.
- inductive reasoning
- word fluency
- perceptual speed
- verbal comprehension
- spatial visualization
- numerical ability
- associative memory
John Horn and Raymond Cattell divided intelligence into the factors of __________ and __________.
fluid intelligence; crystallized intelligence
Define:
fluid intelligence
cognitive abilities that require quick learning and diminish with age
Define:
crystallized intelligence
learned knowledge and skills that increase with age, such as vocabulary
Define:
savant
an individual, considered mentally retarded, who is exceptionally skilled in a specific area, usually math, art, or music
Who proposed the theory of multiple intelligences?
Howard Gardner
What is the theory of multiple intelligences?
- idea that people process information differently and intelligence is composed of different factors
- stemmed from unusual nature of savants
According to Howard Gardner, what are the eight types of intelligence?
- logical-mathematical
- verbal-linguistic
- spatial
- bodily-kinesthetic
- musical
- interpersonal
- intrapersonal
- naturalistic
What is the significance of emotional intelligence?
- ability to perceive, express, understand, and regulate emotions
- based on Gardner’s intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence
- term coined by Peter Salovey and John Mayer
- later studied by Daniel Goleman
- led to Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale (MEIS)
The triarchic theory of intelligence was proposed by __________.
Robert Sternberg
What is the triarchic theory of intelligence?
Idea that there are three separate and testable intelligences:
- analytical (facts)
- practical (street smarts)
- creative (seeing multiple solutions)
Define creativity as it relates to testing.
ability to generate new, original, and useful ideas and solutions
What is the threshold theory?
idea that certain level of intelligence is necessary, but not sufficient for creativity
Intelligence is 75% attributed to __________ and 25% to __________.
nurture; nature
What are examples of evidence supporting the idea that intelligence is hereditary?
- mental retardation from genetic defects (Down syndrome)
- twin studies (identical twins have higher correlation between IQs than fraternal twins)
- IQ scores of adoptees are more similar to biological parents than adopted parents
What are examples of evidence supporting the idea that intelligence is learned?
- mental retardation from prenatal exposure to alcohol (Fetal alcohol syndrome)
- cultural-familial retardation (from sociocultural deprivation)
- school attendance increases IQ scores
- Flynn effect (increase in IQ scores over time due to better health care and schooling)
Define heritability as it relates to testing.
proportion of variation among individuals in a population resulting from genetic causes
How does the reaction range model explain intelligence using both nature and nurture influences?
This model states that genetic makeup determines the limits for a person’s IQ. The upper limit can be reached when in an ideal environment, just as the lower limit can be displayed when in an impoverished environment.
How do IQ scores of African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic Americans compare with white children?
white children typically score 10-15 points higher
Define:
within-group differences
range of scores for variables being measured for a group of individuals
Define:
between-group differences
difference between means of two groups for a common variable
Define:
stereotype threat
- idea that anxiety influences test score
- performance could confirm negative stereotype
- proposed by Claude Steele
