Week 1 Flashcards
Construct
Hypothetical, can’t be touched (ex. introverted, anxious, depressed, intellectual disability)
We make a construct so we can test it
Testing
Definition: “the process of measuring psychological related variables by means of devises or procedures designed to obtain a sample of behavior”
We use them to asses constructs. KEY: a sample of behavior
Assessment
Gathering of data for purpose of making a psychological evaluation, accomplished through use of tools such as tests, interviews, case studies, observations, etc.
Testing vs Assessment vs Construct
A test is a “product” that measures a particular behavior or set of objectives (construct). Meanwhile assessment is seen as a procedure instead of a product
Assessment is the overarching one
Purpose of Assesment
To identify or clarify a problem
To determine the best environment for a person
To advance justice
To aid in matching people to opportunities
To help a person better understand themselves
As an effective short term therapeutic intervention
*To protect against bias / human thinking errors
Human thinking errors
Our thinking is inaccurate, which is why testing is important
**Many listed in packed, only non-initialized is “fundamental attribution bias”
Fundamental attribution bias
We attribute mistakes we make to situational factors, while we attribute others’ mistakes to their character or personality
An example of a human thinking error
Ex. You cut someone off, you justify it (I didn’t have room, that car sped up.) When someone else cuts you off, you get pissed (they are a shitty driver)
Managing thinking errors
- mindfulness
- self observation
- willingness to have 6th sense (sense with mind, gut feeling)
- Nomothetic (law) measures
The two best defenses against inaccurate conclusions when testing
Valid and reliable measures (guard against bias and blindspots)
Using multiple methods of measuring (blends the strengths and weaknesses that each instrument has)
Attributes of a good test
Clear instructions for administering, scoring, and interpreting
Efficient use (incremental validity)
Accurate (reliable and valid)
Valid vs reliable
Valid: measures what its supposed to measure
Reliable: Measures consistently
Incremental Validity
Incremental validity is a type of validity that is used to determine whether a new psychometric assessment will increase the predictive ability beyond that provided by an existing method of assessment.
**AKA are you using the best measure out there
Ethical Aspects of Testing
Do no harm (non-malfeasance)
Do good (beneficence)
Promote autonomy (informed consent)
Be just (be fair)
Assessment today: new measures
Wartegg Drawing Completion
Adult attachment Projective
Thurston Craddock Test of Shame
Assessment today: Therapeutic Assessment
Discovering that psychological assessment can do enormous good
General domains of psychological assessment
Personality (traits and states)
Intellectual
Neuropsychological
Vocational
A major goal of psychological assessment is to reduce/eliminate errors, misattributions, mistakes in characterizations, inaccurate conclusions, etc.
How do you do this?
Using valid & reliable measures
Using multiple methods of measuring
Be aware of and guard against human thinking errors; anticipate making mistakes
Consider the nature of various types of data (strengths, weaknesses, peculiarities, )
Integrate seemingly conflicting data
Consider the motivational and environmental circumstances of testing
Be sure you can systematically identify characteristics of condition under consideration
Test indicators & their absence should be directly linked to these characteristics
Reconcile testing results with history
Systematically revise your impressions by considering data that temper your hypothesis
Predictions of rare events should be made sparingly
Use empirically validated, statistically derived algorithms when available
Use validity scales and symptom validity measures to be alerted to distortions
Consider and profit from client feedback
What is intelligence
Intelligence is a construct
A general label for a group of processes that are inferred from observable behaviors
Intelligence and ambiguity
Ambiguity of what intelligence is has allowed it to become framed in different philosophical assumptions, political agendas, social issues, and legal restrictions.
Common definitional aspects of intelligence
- Abstract thinking
- Learning from experience
- Solving problems through insight
- Adjusting to new situations
- Focusing and sustaining ones abilities to achieve a desired goal
Stanford Binet
on 5th edition, developed by Alfred Binet and revised with Stanford university
focused on verbal abilities
WAIS is more popular
PSYCHOMETRIC APPROACH
Is intelligence a viable construct?
Yes Intelligence is a viable construct. There are geniuses and intellectually disabled people
