PY3107:

An Introduction to
Psychometrics,
Assessment and
Ethics

Lecture 1
Lidia Suárez
lidia.suarez@jcu.edu.sg

1
Lecture 1: Overview

Introduction to the Subject.

Introduction to Psychological Testing.
Test Administration.
Test Interviewing.

Chapters 1, 7, & 8
2
 Introduction to the
Subject
Textbook
Kaplan, R. M., & Saccuzzo, D. P. (2009).
Psychological testing: Principles,
applications, and issues (7th ed.). Belmont:
Wadsworth.

Should be available from bookshop &

library.
Lectures based on 7th Edition.
You may also use the 6th Edition to study.

3
 Introduction to the
Subject
Assessment
1. Mid-semester quiz 25%
- 50 MCQ, 1 hour
- During Lecture 4 (22nd July 2010)
- Covers material from Lectures and Tutorial 1-3, and
related readings

2. Written Assignment: Test Review 30%

- Critically review a psychological test (1500-2000
words)
- Due Tutorial 7 (25th August 2010)

3. Examination 45%
- 100 MCQ, 2 hours
- Covers all materials
4
 Introduction to the
Subject Policy on late
assignments

The policy of this school is to

impose a penalty for late
submission of essays or other
assignments. Marks will be
subtracted from the awarded
mark at the rate of 5% of the
value of the assessable work
per day.
5
 Introduction to the
Subject Policy on English
Competency

Please seek help if necessary.

Contact Dr. Denise Dillon if

necessary.

6
 Introduction to the
Subject Policy on
Plagiarism
Zero Tolerance Policy!!!
Zero marks. Possible to appeal.
Ifcaught again, same as above
but possible expulsion from
course.
http://www.jcu.edu.au/student/as
sessment/plagiarism/index.htm
7
 Introduction to the
Subject Tutorials

•TA: Robyn Youie Wednesday 09:00 –

12:00

•TB: Manisha Agarwal Wednesday

19:00 – 22:00

8
 Introduction to the
Subject LearnJCU
Information on the course.
Announcements.
Additional documents.
Links to web sites.
Communication options
◦ Discussion Board
 General
 Critique

9
 Introduction to the
Subject
Overview
Most psychologists will be
involved in testing.
Aim to provide a broad familiarity
with tests and test concepts.
Base for the development of
specific skills later in career.

10
 Introduction to the
Subject
Learning Goals
 Awareness of the strengths and limitations in
the use of testing.

 Knowledge of the principles of test

construction and an ability to interpret the
psychometric properties of tests.

 Awareness of the legal and ethical issues

associated with the use of psychological
tests.

 Knowledge of the different purposes for

which tests are available and exposure to
examples from a range of tests .
11
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Learning Objective

Understand what is psychological

testing.

Acquire knowledge about various

types of psychological tests.

Example: CES-D.
12
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Psychometric Theory
 Psychological constructs.

 Psychometric Theory provides researchers

and psychologists with mathematical models
used in considering responses to individual
test items, entire tests, and sets of tests
(Corsini & Auerbach, 1998).

 Example of some statistical techniques

employed to verify psychometric
hypotheses.
13
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Psychometric Theory
The following table shows the results of 6
students
in one exam that has been marked by 2
different
   
markers
Student Question 1 
Marker 1  
.  Question 4     Question 1  Marker 2
Question 2 Question 3
   
Question 2 Question 3 Question 4
1 9 6 6 2   8 2 8 1
2 9 5 4 0   7 5 9 5
3 8 9 5 8   10 6 9 10
4 7 6 5 4   9 8 9 4
5 7 3 2 3   7 4 5 1
6 10 8 7 7   7 7 10 9

- Do the two assessments agree with each other?

- What score should be given to each student?
- How could we assign a grade?
- Which question was the most difficult?
14
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Psychometric
First we introduce the data in PASWTheory

15
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Psychometric Theory
- Do the two assessments agree with each
other?
1. Compute new variables:
Sum_Score_Marker1

Sum_Score_Marker2

16
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Psychometric Theory
2. Perform a correlation.

17
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Psychometric Theory
- What score should be given to each
student?

18
 Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Psychometric
- How should Theory
we assign a grade?

19
 Introduction to Psychological
Testing
- WhichPsychometric
question was the mostTheory
difficult?
1. Compute new variables: Sum_Question_1
Sum_Question_2
Sum_Question_3
Sum_Question_4

20
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Definition of Test
Test: a set of items designed to measure
characteristics of human beings in
relation to overt (observable) or covert
(e.g., feelings, attitudes) behaviour.

Use: To obtain information fast and

comparable to a reference group. Scales
aid interpretation of test scores by
relating raw scores on test items to a
defined theoretical or empirical
distribution. 21
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Definition of Test
Provide a sample of behaviour.

Measure past or present behaviour, or

predict future behaviour.

Performance may be related to

◦ traits or enduring tendencies
◦ or the state of an individual

22
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Competency Requirements for
Test Use
• Psychological tests are those that
only a registered psychologist is
able to buy.

•Test suppliers require evidence

that the prospective purchaser is a
registered psychologist.

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Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Responsibilities of the
Psychologist
Psychologists are held accountable for
the professional judgments they
make.

They may rely on tests, but

◦ This does not absolve them from the
responsibility for their professional
opinions.
◦ Selection and interpretation of tests is the
responsibility of the psychologist not the
test supplier. 24
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Some Psychological Tests
Require professional training before
administration.

Conceptualunderstanding before results

can be meaningfully interpreted.

Without such, testing may result in

damage to the client breaching the first
ethical rule of ‘no harm to the client’.

www.deltabravo.net/custody/misuse.php

25
Introduction to Psychological
Testing
Type of Tests
Individual Tests
Administered by a single
examiner to one person.

Group Tests
Administered by a single
examiner to several persons.

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Intelligence Tests

Measure a person’s general

potential to

◦ solve problems
◦ adapt to change
◦ think abstractly
◦ profit from experience

27
Uses of Intelligence Tests
Measure cognitive ability.

Ancillary uses such as

◦ Clinical assessment
◦ Memory
◦ Brain dysfunction
◦ Deterioration with age

28
Achievement Tests

Measure previous learning

◦ e.g., multiple choice exam in
this subject.

29
Aptitude Tests

Measure the person’s potential

for learning, e.g., acquiring a
new skill.

- For example, musical

aptitude, potential to learn to
play the piano if lessons taken.

30
Personality Tests
Measure the tendency of a person
to behave or respond in particular
way in a given situation.
◦ -Structured (e.g. self -report with
defined response options)
 Cattell 16PF
 Eysenck Personality Inventory
 California Personality Inventory

◦ -Unstructured
◊ Projective tests (e.g. Rorschach test)
31
Psychomotor Tests

Test neurological and sensory

functioning
◦ Some require special tracking
and monitoring equipment.
◦ Paper and pencil tests (e.g.
Bender-Gestalt).
◦ Halstead-Reitan and Luria
Psychomotor battery test
selected aspects of
neuropsychological functioning.
32
Educational Tests

Cognitive functioning
(linguistic, quantitative,
spatial and creative thinking).

Tests of specific ability

(reading ability used for
diagnostic and remedial
work).
33
Vocational Tests
Eg. Holland Vocational
preference.

Computer packages
SIGIPLUS (System of Interactive
Guidance and Information).
◦ Self-assessment
◦ Practical suggestions
◦ Skills
◦ Preferences
34
 Test Administration
Learning Objectives

Awareness of factors which

may influence an examinee’s
performance on tests, and
potential sources of error in
behavioural assessment.

Knowledge of the advantages

of using computer-assisted test
administration. 35
 Test Administration
The Examiner and the
Subject
Factors influencing test

performance
 The relationship.
 Race of the tester.
 Language of the test taker.
 Training.
 Expectancy effects.
 Reinforcement of responses.
 Mode of administration & Computer-
assisted.
 Person variables. 36
 Test Administration
Behavioural Assessment
Methodology

Reactivity.
Drift.
Expectancies.
Halo effect.
Rating accuracy.

37
 Interviewing
Techniques
Learning Objectives
• Acquisition of skills in
regard to effective
interviewing such as
professional attitude,
responses to avoid,
responses to facilitate
interaction flow and
empathic responses.
38
 Interviewing
Techniques
Learning Objectives
To be able to distinguish between
different types of interviews for
the purposes of evaluation,
mental status examination,
employment decisions.

To be able to distinguish between

structured vs. unstructured
formats. 39
 Interviewing
Techniques
Interviews
Structured.

Unstructured.

40
 Interviewing
Techniques
Effective Interview
Proper Attitude.
Avoid:
 Evaluative statements
 Probing statements
 Hostile statements
 Reassuring statements

41
 Interviewing
Techniques
Effective Interview
Open vs. close ended questions.
Responses to facilitate interaction
flow:

◦ Verbatim playback
◦ Paraphrasing and restatement
responses
◦ Summarising and clarification
responses
◦ Empathy (5-point classification)
◦ Transitional phrase 42
 Interviewing
Techniques
5-point classification scheme for empathic
responses
Level-one responses
(no relationship to the
interviewee’s response)
Level-two responses (superficial
awareness of meaning of
statement)
Level-three responses
(paraphrasing, verbatim playback,
clarification statements,
restatement responses) 43
 Interviewing
Techniques
5-point classification scheme for empathic
responses
Level-four responses
(interviewer adds noticeably to
interviewee’s response)
Level-five responses
(interviewer adds significantly to
interviewee’s responses)

44
 Interviewing
Techniques
Types of Interviews
Evaluation interview.
Structured clinical interview.
◦ (Structured Clinical Interview for
the DSM  SCID)
Casehistory interview.
Mental status examination.
Employment interview.

45
 Interviewing
Techniques
Source of Error
Interview validity
◦ Halo effect, cultural
differences, general
appearance.
Interview reliability
◦ Structured vs. unstructured
interviews.
◦ Examiner bias or focus.
46