Basics of Psychology &
Psychological Testing
Dr Tanmay L Joshi
M: 9890614667
https://www.chaitanyapsychology.com
Unit-1: Introduction to Psychological Testing
• 1.1- Psychological Test: Meaning
• 1.2- Characteristics of a Good test:
• Defining norms,
• Reliability and
• Validity.
• 1.3- Uses of Psychological Tests.
• 1.4- Ethical issues in psychological testing.
TLJ A measurement device or technique used to
quantify behavior or aid in the understanding and
prediction of behavior.
Test ✓A standardized procedure for sampling behavior and
describing it with categories or scores. (R.J. Gregory,
Definitions 2004).
A psychological test is a set of items that are designed
to measure characteristics of human beings that
pertain to behavior.
A psychological test is essentially an objective and
standardized measure of a sample of behavior.
Psychological testing refers to all the possible uses,
applications and underline concepts of psychological
and educational tests (Caplan & Saccuzoo, 2005).
TLJ
Characteristics of psychological tests
Standardization
Reliability
Validity
Norms
Objectivity
Sample of behavior
TLJ
Standardization Objectivity Reliability
• Consistency of the scores in the test.
• Uniformity of procedure in • Test should be standardized. • Internal & temporal consistency.
administering and scoring the test. • Purpose of the test should be clear • The extent to which the test results
(different persons/ different in objectivity. obtained are consistent when the test is
situations*) • Objectivity should be considered as administered once or more than once on
• Major part: Formulation of directions a collection of standardization and same sample with a reasonable time gap.
• Test constructor must provide psychometric aspects (reliability, • Before a psychological test is released for
detailed directions. validity, norms). general use – reliability should be checked.
• No personal opinion.
Validity Norms Sample of behavior
• The degree to which the test actually
• Average performance of a • In psychological testing we measure
measures what it suppose to measure
representative sample on a given only some part of human behavior.
and how well it measures.
test. • We cannot measure/ judge the
• Valid test: a test measures a trait that it
• Test must be guided by certain complete human behavior/ complete
intends to measure well.
norms. personality.
• The more reliable and valid the test, the
• Helpful in interpretation of scores. • Ex: Neo-PI (only Personality; not
smaller the margin of error.
Intelligence/aptitude).
TLJ Uses of Psychological Tests
✓Classification Diagnosis* & treatment ✓Decision making ✓Research
Fashion Critic (therapy) planning ➢ Pre—&—Post
➢ Placement ➢ Self-Knowledge ➢ Comparison
➢ Screening
➢ Certification
Classification and uses of psychological tests
• Individual test:
• Administered one at a time.
• Easy to study subject’s performance on the test (R.T./ Motivation etc.).
• Group test:
• (mostly)paper-pencil tests.
• Large group of persons at the same time.
Main types of tests
1. Intelligence tests: Measures an individual’s ability in relatively global
areas (verbal comprehension, perceptual organization, reasoning)-
helpful in determining potential for school work/ certain occupations.
2. Aptitude tests: Measures the capability for a relatively specific task/
skills which can be improve after a training.
3. Achievement tests: measures a person’s degree of learning, success
or accomplishment in a subject/ task.
4. Creativity tests: Assess novel, original thinking and the capacity to
find unusual or expected solutions.
5. Personality tests: Measures the traits, qualities, behaviors that determine a person’s
uniqueness. (checklists, inventories, projective techniques, sentence completions).
6. Interest Inventories: Measure an individual’s preference for certain activities or topics-
helpful in occupational choice (Ex: SVIB).
7. Behavioral procedures: Objectively describe and count the frequency of a behavior,
identifying the antecedents and consequences of the behavior.
(Behavior Modification program: ABC Analysis- app.- School settings & MR Group)
8. Neuropsychological tests: Measure cognitive, sensory, perceptual and motor
performance to determine the extent, locus and behavioral consequences of brain
damage.
• Ex: Helstead- Reitan & Luria Nebraska Neuropsychological test.
• Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test.
Ethics or Issues in test administration
• Professional Issues:
• Theoretical concerns
• Adequacy of tests
• Moral Issues
• Human rights
a. Informed consent, purpose of testing,
b. Test scores & interpretation,
c. Who will have access to test data,
d. Right to confidentiality
• Labeling*
• Invasion of privacy (Psychologists must inform subjects of the limits of confidentiality.)
• Divided loyalties
• Social Issues:
• Dehumanization
• Usefulness of tests
• Access to psychological testing services
✓Competence of test purchasers
✓Confidentiality
✓Expertise in assessment*
✓Communication of test results
✓Responsible report writing
✓Duty to warn [Tanya Tarasoff- Prosenjit Poddar case, 2002]
✓ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarasoff_v._Regents_of_the_University_of_California
✓2003: New revision of APA Ethical Principals of Psychologists
and code of conduct.
❖Some cultural issues:
✓Impact of cultural background on test results
✓Stereotype threat
✓Assessment of cultural & linguistic minorities
• Native language interpreter
• Bilingual psychologist*
• Translation
❖Factors influencing test performance-
• 1. Examiner
✓Establishing rapport
✓Examiner sex, experience, race
• 2.Situational variables
✓Laboratory settings
✓Condition of the instruments/ tests
• 3. Test takers [subject] perspective
✓Test anxiety
✓Language
✓Motivation/ tendency to deceive
✓Alternatives [2/3/5/ open ended]
✓Response style
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