The nature and
uses of
psychological
testing
The nature and uses of psychological
testing
• Definition of a test
• Types of tests
Definition of a test
Definition
• A test is a standardized procedure for sampling behavior and
describing it with categories or scores
• In addition, most tests have norms or standards by which the
results can be used to predict other, more important behaviors
Definition
1. Standardized procedure
2. Behavior sample
3. Scores or categories
4. Norms or standards
5. Prediction of nontest behavior
1. Standardized procedure
• A test is considered to be standardized if the procedures for
administering it are uniform from one examiner and setting to
another
• This is ensured by outlining clear-cut instructions for the
administration of the test in the test manual
Administration
1. There is no time limit
2. The test must be taken individually
3. Omissions are permissible
4. Do not mention the purpose of the test
5. Assure the respondents that they are not tests of intelligence or
behavioral skills
6. Assure the subject of anonymity - only summarized data will be
made public
Digit span test
7 2 8 5 4 6 7 3 9
Administration
1. The examiner must read each number out at the rate of one
number per second
2. Do not repeat a span once read
Training
2. Behavior sample
• A psychological test measures only a sample of behavior
• Eg. Extent of a child’s vocabulary – test only a representative set of
words
2. Behavior sample
• One important feature of psychological testing is that the
specific test items don’t need to exactly resemble the behaviors
they aim to predict
• I prefer shower to a bath
• I like tall women
• I prefer shower to a bath - empathy
• I like tall women – impulsiveness in males
3. Scores or categories
• Psychological tests are designed to provide scores or
categorizations based on a person's performance on the test
Caution 1
• Every test score will have some degree of measurement error
• This is represented by the equation: X = T + e
• X is the observed score, T is the true score, and e is the
measurement error
Example
• Sources of measurement error
– Uncomfortable room temperature, dim lighting, and excessive noise
– Momentary fluctuations in anxiety, motivation, attention, and fatigue
level of the test taker
– Cold examiner
Caution 2
Caution 2
• Test scores represent abstract traits (e.g., self-esteem or
motivation) that don’t physically exist
• They should not be confused with concrete, measurable quantities
like temperature or weight, which have a physical reality
• Instead, they are useful in predicting various real-world outcomes
• A person with high motivation might be
more likely to persist in achieving long-
term goals
• An individual with high self-esteem tends
to maintain healthier and more balanced
relationships
4. Norms or standards
• A psychological test must also possess norms or standards
• An examinee’s test score is usually interpreted by comparing
it with the scores obtained by others on the same test
4. Norms or standards
• For this purpose, test developers typically provide norms - a
summary of test results for a large and representative group
of subjects
• The norm group is referred to as the standardization sample
Binet Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT)
Select a standardization sample that is representative of the
population for which the test is intended
1. Leadership Effectiveness Scale
2. Academic Stress Scale
3. Marital Satisfaction Scale
4. Marriage readiness Scale
5. Caregiver burden Scale
6. Geriatric Depression Scale
7. Teacher Burnout Inventory
8. Parenting Style Questionnaire
5. Prediction of nontest behavior
• The ultimate purpose of a test is to predict additional
behaviors, other than those directly sampled by the test
Predict Academic Success
Predict Job Performance
Predict Health Outcomes
Definition
• A test is a standardized procedure for sampling behavior and
describing it with categories or scores
• In addition, most tests have norms or standards by which the
results can be used to predict other, more important behaviors
Types of tests
Types of tests
The main types of psychological tests
Intelligence Tests Aptitude Tests Achievement Tests Creativity Tests
Behavioral Neuropsychological
Personality Tests Interest Inventories
Procedures Tests
Intelligence tests
• Measure an individual's ability in relatively global areas such
as verbal comprehension, perceptual organization, or
reasoning and thereby help determine potential for scholastic
work or certain occupations
Aptitude tests
• Measure the capability for a relatively specific task or type of
skill
• Aptitude tests are often used to predict success in an
occupation, training course, or educational endeavor
Aptitude tests
• Special aptitude tests
• Multiple aptitude tests
Special aptitude tests
• Special aptitude tests predict whether you will succeed in a single
area
Example
Minnesota Clerical Test – clerical skills
• Filing
• Vocabulary
• Spelling
• Arithmetic
• Following written directions
• Coding
• Effective writing
• General office and customer service
Minnesota Clerical Test
• Compare each pair of names or addresses. Indicate whether they
are EXACTLY the same or different in any way:
Petterson, Brittania & Marley Petterson, Brittaina & Marley
45508-67 South Somersette Ext. 44508-67 South Somersette Ext.
Jeffery T. Liptmuss, Esq. Jeffrey T. Liptmuss, Esq.
Minnesota Clerical Test
Select the word (if any) that is spelled correctly:
• separate
seperate
separete
none of these
• truely
truley
truly
none of these
Minnesota Clerical Test
Ford, Lloyd F. would be filed between –
A. Ford, L.E. and Ford, L.P
B. Ford, James and Ford, Lloyd
C. Ford, Lorraine and Forde, Bert
D. Ford, LaVonne and Ford, Lloyd T.
E. Ford, Local No. – and Ford Motor Company.
Example
• Musical Aptitude Test (Bentley Test)
- pitch, melody, texture and rhythm
Multiple aptitude tests
• Multiple aptitude tests measure two or more types of ability
Example
• The SAT is a standardized test widely used
for college admissions in the United States
• SAT
1. Verbal section: word knowledge and
reading comprehension
2. Mathematics section: algebra, geometry &
insightful reasoning
3. Writing section
Example
• Differential Aptitude test
- abstract reasoning
- numerical reasoning
- verbal reasoning
- mechanical reasoning
Achievement Tests
• Measure a person's degree of learning, success, or
accomplishment in a subject or task
• Achievement tests commonly have several subtests, such as
reading, mathematics, language, science, and social studies
Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of
Achievement
Creativity tests
• Assess novel, original thinking and the capacity to find unusual
or unexpected solutions, especially for vaguely defined
problems
Guilford’s Alternate Uses Test
Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking or
TTCT
Personality tests
• Measure the traits, qualities, or behaviors that determine a
person's individuality; such tests include checklists,
inventories, and projective techniques
Interest Inventories
• Measure an individual's preference for certain activities or
topics and thereby help determine occupational choice
Strong Interest Inventory
Behavioral procedures
• Objectively describe and count the frequency of a behavior,
identifying the antecedents and consequences of the behavior
• Includes checklists, rating scales, interviews, and structured
observations
Neuropsychological tests
• Measure cognitive, sensory, perceptual, and motor
performance to determine the extent, locus, and behavioral
consequences of brain damage
Wisconsin Card
Sorting Test