WEEK 6: Module 05 Measuring Psychological Attributes: Aptitude, Interests, and Career

Inventories

Overview

This module looks at the measurement of aptitude, interests, and career inventories.

These three areas share a lot of common psychometric and theoretical properties, which might be
the reason why some psychologists firmly believe that these constructs are not so different from
each other.

Hence, some people in psychology look at them as subsets of personality, while others
emphasize that it is difficult, if not impossible, to define these three areas so that they are
mutually exclusive.

Aptitude Tests

Cliché as it may sound, people are constantly learning information through daily life experiences
and formal learning experiences (in schools).

Aptitude tests are designed to focus more on informal learning or life experiences.

Aptitude tests are also known as prognostic tests because these are typically used to make
predictions. Some aptitude tests have been used to measure readiness to:

● enter elementary school

● successfully complete a challenging course of study in secondary school

● readiness to enter graduate school

Hence, it is quite obvious that the main aim of aptitude tests is to evaluate a person's potential for
learning rather than how much he/she has already learned.

Aptitude tests assess a broad range of experiences obtained in a variety of ways. They evaluate
the effects of unknown and uncontrolled experiences.

An aptitude test's validity is evaluated primarily on its ability to predict future performance. As a
result, such tests rely heavily on criterion- oriented evidence for validity.
Furthermore, aptitude tests typically predict potential in a specific area such as math, science, or
music.

In simpler words, Aptitude Tests measure the capability for a relatively specific task or type of
skill; aptitude tests are, in effect, a narrow form of ability testing.

Aptitude tests are often used to predict success in an occupation, training course, or educational
endeavor, such as SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test).

Aptitude tests, according to Cohen & Swerdlik (2018), are best described by the following:

1. Assess the effects of an unknown, uncontrolled set of experiences

1. Assess the potential to profit from a course of training 3. Depends heavily on predictive
criterion validation procedures

Differential Aptitude Test

In summary, an aptitude test is an instrument utilized to determine and measure an individual's

ability to acquire, through future training, some specific set of skills.

There are a few well-known published aptitude tests on the market, and for this module, we will
discuss the Differential Aptitude Test.

Brief Description

The Differential Aptitude Test (DAT) is a multiple- aptitude battery test created to measure
students' and adults' ability to learn or to potential in certain areas.

It was first published in 1947 and revised in 1962, 1972, 1980, and 1990 under the authors G. K.
Bennett, H. G. Seashore, and A. G. Wesman. It was published under The Psychological
Corporation.

● The test is suitable for group administration and is mainly used in educational and
vocational counseling;

● Also, it may also be used in the selection of employees.

● It was revised in 1990, with additional features of two levels, a completely new item, and
reduced testing time.
 ● For each level, two equivalent alternate forms (C and D) are available. Grade 5 is the
assigned readability level of the directions of the tests.

● Verbal reasoning (VR), numerical reasoning (NR), abstract reasoning (AR), perceptual
speed and accuracy (PSA), mechanical reasoning (MR), space relations (SR), spelling
(Sp), and language usage (LU) are the eight subtests abilities measured by DAT.

● DAT provides nine scores, one for each subtest, and an additional one, the scholastic
aptitude score (SA).

● The SA score is derived from VR and NR (VR + NR) and measures one's ability to learn
at school. Converted norm-referenced two scores are reported in percentile ranks,
stanines, and scaled scores.

A Normal Curve Equivalents (NCEs) score is also available for research purposes.

In the test booklet, both separate-sex norms and combined-sex norms are presented.

All the test items in this edition except PSA are multiple choice. In MR, problems are presented
using drawings.

Administration

● Overall, test administration instructions are clear; hence it is easy to follow as they are
well standardized.

● The test administrator needs no special training for administering the tests.

However, test supervisors and proctors are strongly recommended to become thoroughly
familiar with the procedures to ensure accurate and reliable test results.

● Moreover, written instructions are given to test supervisors on what to say and what to do
in each subtest.

● A separate sample test is tested beforehand. This will help some people reduce test
anxiety levels due to unfamiliar materials.

● It can be administered individually or in groups and is basically a self-administered

inventory.
 ● For computer scoring, the separate answer sheet must be returned to the publisher.

Scoring and Interpretation

In answer sheets, three (3) types of answer documents are available for different scoring needs;

● Test users may choose to score the tests by hand, by a scanner, or have them scored by
the Psychological Corporation, which offers a variety of reporting services.

● However, a word of caution should be exercised while interpreting this test.

● In interpreting the score, under no circumstance should the score be looked at as the final
individual's indisputable evidence of any characteristics.

● The results show only one small part of the information needed to help an individual
make informed and realistic decisions and cannot be judged solely from other aspects of a
person's character, including job and other experiences.

Measuring Interests

Basically, Interest tests measure an individual's preference for certain activities or topics and
thereby help determine the occupational choice.

Interest tests are based on the explicit assumption that interest patterns determine and, therefore,
also predict job satisfaction.

For example, if the examinee has the same interests as successful and satisfied lawyers, it is
thought likely that he or she would enjoy the work of a lawyer.

"How can career interests be assessed?"

To answer this question, it is important to know the interest of a person, more specifically, career
interests. If you want to enter an appropriate career, you must identify your interests. Which
again brings us to answer the important question above.