INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTINGAP. DR. CHUA BEE SEOK

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Nature and Use of Psychological Test*Psychological tests are tools.Testing has been growing at an increasing pace, and it is contributing effectively in more and more areas of daily life.This growth has been accompanied by some unrealistic expectations and misuses.Test users need to know how to evaluate tests.How good is the test for the particular purpose for which it is being used?What kind of information can it provide about the person who takes it?How can its results be intergrated into the network of data leading to action decision?

USES AND VARIETIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS*The function of psychological tests has been used to measure:differences between individuals, or differences between the reactions of the same individual under different circumstances.

The earliest problem that stimulated the development of psychological tests - the identification of mentally retarded persons (clinical uses of tests).

Clinical Testing*Related clinical uses of tests the detection of intellectual deficiencies, emotional disorders and other types of behavioral problem.

A number of objective and projective personality tests and diagnostic tests is widely used by clinical psychologists.

Clinical psychologists also employ neuropsychological test batteries.

Many clinical psychologists receive specialized training in administering individual intelligence tests.

*Projective personality tests:

Rorshach Ink Blot Test

Educational Testing

*The most obvious application of the tests in educational settings Admission and advancement.

Assessment of students placement in a variety of special education programs (e.g. intelligence tests).

Diagnosing learning difficulties (e.g. performance tests and behavior observation tests).

Evaluating the effectiveness of different education curriculum.

Test results may be used in allocating funds to different schools for remedial education.

Personnel Testing

*The widely used tests in personnel selection in both the public and the private sectors - ability tests and tests of specific skills .

Ability tests are also used widely in the military- for screening new candidates and for placement of individual soldiers according to their skills or abilities.

Test also used to assess training needs, to assess workers performance in training and to assess the success of training programs, management development and career counseling program.

The Use of Test in Individual Counseling*The use of test in individual counseling broadened from guidance regarding educational and vocational plans to all aspects of the persons life (emotional well-being and effective interpersonal relations).

The use of tests to enhance self understanding and personal development.test score are part of the information given to the individual as aids to their own decision making processes.

Psychological tests are being employed in the solution of practical problems and also research.

*TESTING ACTIVITIES OF PSYCHOLOGISTSTable 1-2: Typical Assessment Activities For Several Fields of Applied Psychology*

Field Typical assessment activitiesClinical Psychology Assessment of intelligence Assessment of psychopathologyCounseling Psychology Assessment of career interests Assessment of skills Assessment of social adjustmentIndustrial Organizational psychology Assessment of managerial potential Assessment of training needs Assessment of cognitive and psychomotor abilitySchool Psychology Assessment of ability & academic progress Assessment of maturity & readiness for school Assessment of handicapped childrenNeuropsychology Assessment of brain damage Evaluation of Alzheimers syndrome patients

*The tests designed for diverse purposes. They are differ in:

Administration individual or group test.

The aspects of behavior that they cover cognitive traits or abilities (from aptitudes test to specific sensorimotor skill test); measure of affective variables or personality (emotional or motivational traits, interpersonal behavior, interests, attitudes, and value).

WHAT IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST?*A test is a measurement device or technique used to quantify behavior or aid in the understanding and prediction of behavior.

A psychological test is a set of items designed to measure characteristics of human beings that pertain to behavior (overt and covert behavior).

Overt behavior is an individuals observable activity.

Covert behavior takes place within an individual and cannot be directly observed (feeling and thoughts).

*A psychological test is a measurement instrument that has three major defining characteristics:

A psychological test is a sample of behavior.

The sample is obtained under standardized conditions.

There are established rules for scoring, or for obtaining quantitative (numeric) information form the behavior sample.Objective Measurement of DifficultyReliabilityValidity

Behavior Sample

*A psychological test is essentially an objective and standardized measure of a sample of behavior.

A psychological test like the test in any other science, that observations are made on a small but carefully chosen sample of an individuals behavior.E.g. blood test, communitys water supply, childs vocabulary test, arithmetic computations test, pilots eye-hand coordination test.

Whether or not the test adequately covers the behavior under consideration is depends on the number and the nature of the item in the sample and the representativeness of this sample.E.g. arithmetic test consisting of only 5 problems, or one including only multiplication items. or a vocabulary test composed only football terms.

Standardization

A psychological test is a standardized measure - sample of behavior collected under standardized conditions.

Standardization implies uniformity of procedure in administering and scoring the test.

Standardization of a new test - formulation of directions materials employed, time limits, oral instructions, preliminary demonstrations, way of handling queries from test takers, and every other detail of the testing situation.

In giving instructions or presenting problem orally, rate of speaking, tone of voice, inflection, pauses, and facial expression must be consider when administering the test

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user - if the scores obtained by different persons are to be comparable,testing conditions must obviously be the same for all.

in order to secure uniformity of testing conditions, the test constructor provides detailed directions for administering each newly developed test.

Another important step in the standardization of a test - the establishment of norms.

Psychological test have no predetermined standards of passing or failing.

An individuals test score is interpreted by comparing it with the scores obtained by others on the same test.

A norm is the normal or average performance of the normative group.E.g. if normal 8 year old children complete 12 out of 50 problem correctly on a particular arithmetic reasoning test, then the 8 year old children norm on this test is a score of 12.

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The process of standardizing a test administer the test to a large, representative sample (for whom the test is designed).

This group (normative group) the standardization sample, serves to establish the norms.

Norm indicate the average performance, the relative frequency of varying degrees of deviation above and below the average. to evaluate different degrees of superiority and inferiority.*

Scoring Rules

The aim of testing is to measure or to describe in a quantitative way some attribute or set of attribute of the examinees.

A psychological test have some set of rules or procedures for describing in quantitative or numeric terms the subjects behavior in response to the test.

Objective scoring rules indicate that two people, each applying the same set of scoring rules to an individuals response, will always arrive at the same score for that individual.Example: multiple choice test.

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*Subjective scoring rules

rely on the judgment of the examiner.

Example: essay exam, Rorschach inkblot tests.

Objective Measurement of DifficultyObjectivity of psychological tests refer to:administration, scoring, and interpretation of scores independent of the subjective judgment of the particular examiner.Any one test taker should theoretically obtain the identical score on a test regardless of who is the examiner.

The determination of the difficulty level of an item or of a whole test is based on objective, empirical procedures.E.g. Binet and Simon 1905 scale for the measurement of intelligent. They arrange the 30 item of the scale in order of increasing difficulty. arrangement of item and selection of items for inclusion in a test.

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- this is not entirely so, because perfect standardization and objectivity have not been attained in practical.

but at least such objectivity is the goal of test construction and has been achieved to a reasonably high degree in most tests. - such difficulty was determined by trying out the item on 50 normal and a few mentally retarded children.

the item correctly solved by largest number of children were the easiest item. those passed by few children were regarded as more difficult item.

by this procedure, an empirical order of difficulty was established.

ReliabilityHow good is this test? Does it really work?The questions can be conclusively answered is by empirical test.

The objective evaluation of psychological tests - determination of the reliability and the validity of the test.

In psychometric term reliability basically means consistency.E.g. If a child receives an IQ of 110 on Monday and an IQ of 80 when retested on Friday the score are not consistent the test is not reliable.*

Validity Validity the degree to which the test actually measures what it purports to measure.

Validity provides a direct check on how well the test fulfills its function.

The determination of validity usually requires independent, external criteria of whatever the test is designed to measure.E.g. A medical aptitude test is to be used in selecting promising applicants for medical school, ultimate success in medical school would be a criterion.*

Why Is Psychological Testing Important?

Tests are used to make important decisions about individual.Clinical psychologists use a variety of objective and projective tests in the process of choosing a course of treatment for individual clients.Tests are used in the world of work, both in personnel selection and in professional certification and licensure.

Psychological tests are used to measure a wide variety of attributes intelligence, motivation, vocational preferences, spatial ability, anxiety, form perception and countless others.

National Academy of Sciences panel concluded that psychological test represent the best, fairest and most accurate technology available for making important decisions about individuals

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TYPES OF TESTS

Tests can be broadly grouped into 2 camps:

Group tests.Largely pencil-and-paper measures suitable to the testing of large groups of persons at the same time.

Individual tests.Instruments that by their design and purpose must be administered one on one.

An important advantage of individual tests examiner can gauge the level of motivation of the subject and assess the relevance of other factor (e.g. impulsiveness and anxiety) on the test results.*

For convenience, tests are sort into 8 categories:

Intelligence testsMeasure an individuals ability in relatively global areas such as verbal comprehension, perceptual organization, or reasoning.

Aptitude TestsMeasure the capability for a relatively specific task or type of skill; aptitude tests are, in effect, a narrow form of ability testing.*

Achievement TestsMeasure a persons degree of learning, success, or accomplishment in a subject or task.Creativity TestsAssess novel, original thinking and the capacity to find unusual or unexpected solutions, especially for vaguely defined problems.Personality TestsMeasure the traits, qualities, or behaviors that determine a persons individuality, such tests include checklists, inventories, and projective techniques.*

Interest InventoriesMeasure an individuals preference for certain activities or topics and thereby help determine occupational choice.

Behavioral ProceduresObjectively describe and count the frequency of a behavior, identifying the antecedents and consequences of the behavior.

Neuropsychological TestsMeasure cognitive, sensory, perceptual, and motor performance to determine the extent, locus and behavioral consequences of brain damage.*

Refer Table 1-1 Some Milestones In The Development of Tests.

*________________________________________________________1000b.cTesting in Chinese civil service1850-1900Civil service examinations in the United States1900-1920Development of individual and group tests of cognitive ability, development of psychometric theory.1920-1940Development of factor analysis, development of projective tests and standardized personality inventories.1940-1960Development of vocational interest measures, standardized measures of psychopathology.1980-presentlarge-scale implimentation of computerized adaptive tests._________________________________________________________

Milestones In The Development of Tests.

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