02/14/24 1

Psychological tests
Aim is to describe the basic
principles of psychological
measurement and to describe the
major types of tests and their
applications.

02/14/24 2
Psychological tests
Perform a behavior
Measures something
Personal attributes (e.g. motivation)
Traits (habitual patterns of behavior
about human personality, e.g.
extraversion)
Predict an outcome
Standardization of administration
Standardization of scoring

02/14/24 3
Nine-dots problem
Connect nine squarely arranged points with
a pen by four (or less) straight lines without
lifting the pen.

02/14/24 4
Nine-dots problem
Connect nine squarely arranged points with
a pen by four (or less) straight lines without
lifting the pen.

02/14/24 5
Solution to the Nine-Dot Problem
as Examples of Creativity

02/14/24 6
A psychological test…
Is an objective and standardized sample of
behavior.
1. Behavior Sample
2. Standardized Measurement
3. Objective Measurement
4. Reliability and validity information provided.

02/14/24 7
A psychological test…
1. Behavior Sample
 Respondents have to do something.
 Test measures not all but a representative
sample of behaviors.
 The sample of behaviors defines the quality of
the test.
 Connection between items and target
behavior have to be empirically demonstrated.

02/14/24 8
A psychological test…
Connection between items and target behavior
have to be empirically demonstrated.

Cultural
Intelligence
Scale

02/14/24 9
A psychological test…
2. Standardized Measurement
 Uniformity of in administering and scoring the
test. (e.g., TOEFL test, same seating, lighting
conditions )
 Norms based on large and representative
sample.

02/14/24 10
Norms
Norm: a standard or range of values that represents
the typical performance of a group or of an individual
against which comparisons can be made.

02/14/24 11
A psychological test…
3. Objective Measurement
 Administration, scoring and interpretation
 independent from examiner’s subjective
judgement.
 Some tests are more subjective than others.

02/14/24 12
A psychological test…
4. Reliability and validity information provided.
 Reliability=consistency=same person should
get the same scores in different times, with
different set of items with different examiners.
 Validity=the degree to which the test
measures what it should measure.

02/14/24 13
Assumptions…
Measure what they say they measure (validity)
Stable over time (test-retest reliability)
Consistent understanding across individuals
Individuals will be accurate and honest
Scores = truth + error (test, examiner,
examinee, environment)

02/14/24 14
Tests by type…
Tests of maximum performance
Person’s best performance
Examinee must want to do well and know what
is considered as a good performance
Example: intelligence tests
Measures of typical response
Feelings, habits. No ‘right’ answer.
Observation (both in arranged settings and in
the field)
Self-reports
02/14/24 15
Tests by aim...
Educational testing
Admissions and advancement in schools
Certification
Personnel testing (job-related)
Job selection & assessment
Training needs
Clinical testing
Diagnostic tests
Personality tests, intelligence tests,
neuropsychological tests
02/14/24 16
Why Use Tests?
People are not good at judging other
people.
Tests provide objective information that
helps us make better decisions about
individuals.

02/14/24 17
Common Applications of Psychological
Assessments
Diagnosis
Treatment planning and effectiveness
Selection
Placement
Classification

02/14/24 18
Common Applications of Psychological
Assessments
Evaluation
Licensing
Program Evaluation
Scientific Method

02/14/24 19
Participants in the Assessment Process
People who develop tests.
People who use tests.
People who take tests.

02/14/24 20
Psychological Measures-
Pros and Cons
Pros Cons
Allows comparisons Sloppy (careless,
on same scale untidy) usage;
reliance on tests
Merit based and
alone
objective for Difficult and costly to
selection develop
Provides insight into
attributes of people
not otherwise
available
Good track record of
success
02/14/24 21
Some Common Complaints
Tests are unfair especially to ethnic and
racial minorities
Tests often invade one’s personal privacy
Tests focus on the wrong content
Tests miss the mark too often and lead to
bad decisions
Tests can be fooled or faked

02/14/24 22
Key Lessons
High stakes decisions about people should
never be based on a single test score.
Choices of tests and evaluations of their
usefulness must take into account many
factors.

02/14/24 23
Computerized Testing
A brand-new world
How does it work?
Test Bank
Pros
 Efficient, convenient in scoring data, administering tests,
remove human error, quicker and more reliable scoring,
detection of unusual response patterns
Cons
Computer anxiety, require new strategies,
control of cheating, response rates on web
based surveys
Disabled individuals-how does computerization
affect them?
02/14/24 24
Online Surveys
E-mail Based
Interactive
Challenges
Loss of control, web design

02/14/24 25