foundations of psych testing 2

8/11/2019 Foundations of Psych Testing 2

1/14

FOUNDATIONS OF

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

Araceli S. Peola

Jacqueline Samana


2/14

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

Testing goes back to the ancient Chinese (2200 B.C.),

who tested the abilities of officials

Psychological testing owes much in the early psychiatryand as it does to the laboratories of experimental

psychology

Most historians trace the beginnings of psychologicaltesting to the experimental investigation of individual

differences that flourished in Germany and Great Britain

in the late 1800s.


3/14

Uses of

Psychological Test

Field Typical Assessment Activities

Clinical Psychology Intelligence and Psychopathology

Counseling Psychology Career interest, skills, social adjustment

Industrial/Organizational

Psychology

Managerial potential, training needs, cognitive

and psychomotor ability

School Psychology Ability and academic progress, maturity andreadiness for school

Neuropsychology Handicapped children, brain damage


4/14

Classification of

Psychological test

According to Mode of Administration

Speed test

Power test

Group test

Individual test

According to types of items included

Easy or free answer test

Objective test

According to principles of test construction

Standardized administered and scored in a consistent or standard

manner

Teacher made informal test/assessment like classroom observation


5/14

Classification of

Psychological test

According to themed measured

Intelligence testattempt to measure your potential

Aptitude test Achievement test

Interest test

Adjustment inventory

Attitude scale-designed to tell you something about yourself


6/14

Characteristics of a

good test

Technical Attributes

1. Validity - is the degree to which a certain inference from a test is

appropriate or meaningful.

Types Purpose Procedure Type of Test

Content To compare whether the test

items match the set of goals

and objectives

Compare test blueprint with

the school, course, program

objectives

Survey

achievement tests,

criterion,

referenced test

exam

Criterion:

Concurrent

To determine whether there

is a relationship between a

test & an immediate

criterion measure

Correlate test scores with

criterion measure at or about

the same time. Use a rating,

observation or another test as

criterion

Aptitude test

Ability test

Personality test

Employment test

Types of test


7/14


good test

Types Purpose Procedure Type of Test

Criterion:

Predictive

To determine whether there

is a relationship between a

test and a criterion measureto be obtained in the future

Correlate test scores with

criterion measure obtained

after a period of time

Scholastic,

aptitude, general

aptitude, batteries,prognostic test

readiness test

personality test

Construct To determine whether a

construct exists and to

understand the traits orconcepts that make up the

set of scores or items

Conduct multivariate statistical

analysis such as factor analysis

discriminant analysis,multivariate analysis of

variance

Intelligence tests

Aptitude tests

Personality tests


8/14


good test

2. Reliabilityrefers to the degree to which test scores are consistent,

dependable, or repeatable, it is a function of the degree to which test

scores are free from errors of measurement

Method Procedure Coefficient Problems

Test - retest Same procedure test given

twice with time interval

between testings

Stability Memory effect

Practice effect Change

overt time

Alternate forms Equivalent test given with time

between testings

Equivalence and

stability

Hard to develop two

equivalent tests. May

reflect change in

behavior over time

Internal

consistency

One test given at one time

only (test divided into part

in split half)

Equivalence

and internal

consistency

Uses shortened forms

(split half) only good if

traits are unitary or

homogeneous

Methods of assessing reliability


9/14


good test

Factors affecting Reliability

1. Length increases reliability2. Homogeneity increases reliability

3. Shorter time, higher reliability

4. Type of reliability estimate


10/14

Principal Sources of Inconsistency

I. Lasting and general characteristics of the individual

A. Level of ability on one or more general traits, which operate in a number of

test

B. General skills and techniques of taking testC. General ability to comprehend instructions

II. Lasting but specific characteristic of the individual

A. Specific to the test as a whole

a) Individual level of ability on traits required in this test but not in othersb) Knowledge and skills specific to a particular form of test items

c) Stable response sets

B. Specific to particular test items

a) The chance element determining whether the individual knows a particular fact

b) Item types with which various examinees are unequally familiar


11/14

III. Temporary but general characteristics of the individual

A. Health

B. FatigueC. Motivation

D. Emotional strain

E. Test-wiseness

IV. Temporary and specific characteristics of the ndividual

A. Specific to a test as a whole

a) Comprehension of the specific test task

b) Specific tricks or techniques of dealing with the particular test material

c) Level of practice on the specific skills involved

d) Momentary mindset for a particular test

F. Understanding of mechanic s of testing

G. Changes in weather

H. Noises and distractionsI. Dislike of present situation


12/14

Principal sources of

inconsistency

B. Specific to a particular test items

a) Fluctuations and idiosyncrasies of human memory

b) Unpredictable fluctuations in attention or accuracy, superimposed on the general

level of performance characteristic of the individual

V. Systematic or change factors affecting the administration of the test or

the appraisal of test performance

A. Conditions of testing

B. Interaction of personality

C. Unreliability or bias in grading or rating performance

VI. Variance not otherwise accounted for (chance)

A. Luck in selection of answers by sheer guessing

B. Momentary distraction


13/14

Sources of information

about test

Specimen sets

Publishers catalog

Test review volume

Journals in the measurement field

Newsletter from ERIC, professional organizations, publisher

Abstracts (e.g., ERIC, CUE, Psychological abstracts)

Test collection, specific annotated bibliography

Text, reference books, manual e.g., Murphy, Conoley, Impara

Mental measurement yearbooks

Internet

Manual position paper on standards for educational and

psychological tests

Colleagues or persons working in the field


14/14

Rights of Test Takers

As a test taker, you have the right to:

Be treated with courtesy, respect, and impartiality

Be tested with measures that meet professional standards and that are

appropriate, given the manner in which the test results will be used.

Receive a brief oral or written explanation prior to testing about the purpose(s) or

testing, the kind(s) of tests to be used, if the results will be reported to you or to

others, and the planned use(s) of the results.

Know in advance of testing when the test will be administered, if and when test

results will be available to you, and if there is a fee for testing services that you are

expected to pay.

foundations of psych testing 2

Documents