PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING 1

Course Title: Psychological Testing 1 OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

Prerequisite: Theories of Personality
Co-requisite: None Test
Credit: 5 Units Is a set of measuring device/tools designed to
Course Description: Orientation into the measure a variable related to that modifier
rudiments of psychological testing. The principles, Testing
methods’ and uses of psychological testing are
tackled. Emphasis is placed on issues of item Refers to everything, from test administration to the
analysis, reliability, and validity in test construction. interpretation of the test score
The administration, scoring, and interpretation of
objective cognitive and affective tests used in various Assessment
applied fields of psychology, particularly the
is a process of active integration of test scores,
educational, industrial, and government settings
behavioral observation, and other data.
covered. Ethical considerations as well as current
trends and issues in psychological testing in the DEFINITIONS
Philippine setting are discussed.
• Psychological Tests
Introduction to Psychological Testing
– Refers to a device/procedure
üMeaning and concept designed to measure a specific
ü Objectives psychological construct:
ü Need and Importance
ü Types of Psychological Test • Psychological Testing
ü Major characteristics
– Refers to the administration or
ü Selected Tests
process of measuring psychology
ü Conclusion
related variables using a device or
procedures designed to obtain a
Psy Me sample of behavior
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logi l • Psychological Assessment
Ab
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Psy ilit – Refers to gathering and integration
Ass sts
Ps chol y of psychology-related data for the
ess
yc Te purpose of making a psychological
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Ap evaluation that is accomplished
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through the use of tools such as;
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tests, interviews, case studies,
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ting ud behavioral observation, and
ic nal e specially designed apparatus and
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DEFINITIONS  May be used as tools in school placement, in
determining the presence of a learning
• Item disability or a developmental delay in
identifying giftedness or in tracking
– A specific stimulus to which a
intellectual development.
person responds overtly; this
response can be scored or  They may used in an educational setting to
evaluated. determine personality.
• Scales

– Relate raw scores on test items to NEED & IMPORTANCE OF TESTS

some defined theoretical or
empirical distributions.  Identifies weaknesses and strength: Norm
references and group administered
• Test Scores achievement test are the most common
types administered in school.
– Related to traits of an individual
 Support individualized Lesson Plans:
– Related to the state, specific
Psychological testing in schools can be
condition or stimulus of an indivual.
identify students with disabilities or delayed
Objectives of Psychological Tests skills and determine their eligibility for
receiving individualized lesson plans free of
 Psychological tests are used to assess a charge to families.
variety of mental abilities and attributes,
including achievement and ability,  Enables placement decisions
personality, and neurological functioning.
 Monitors progress
 To measure aspects of mental ability,
 Identifying Disabilities: Learning disabilities
aptitude or personality of a person.
can be very hard to identify, but
 It may be used as part of the recruitment or psychological testing helps in detecting
selection process. areas in which students are having
difficulties.
 Provide employers with a method of
selecting the most suitable job  Advancement: Psychological testing is also
important in helping the school
 Personality tests are administered for a wide administration and teachers to evaluate
variety of reason, from diagnosing students’ academic achievements and make
psychopathology (e.g., personality disorder, decisions about their advancement.
depressive disorder) to screening job
candidates.  Vocational Ability: The results of a
psychological test can also assist parents,
 Psychological test are used in research, teachers and students ascertain the
however, most serve a practical purpose vocational ability of the child.
such as schooling, job qualifications, etc.
Two types of Psychological Test  Differential Aptitude Test
(DAT)
1. Mental Ability Test
 Intelligence Test-General Achievement Tests
 Aptitude Test-Specific
 Achievement  measure a person’s mastery and
2. Personality Tests knowledge of various subjects
 Structured Personality Test
 Projective
– Measure aspects of personality, including
motives, interests, values, and attitudes.
Intelligence Tests

o Measure general mental abilities  Structured (Objective)

-Provides a self-report statement to

o Measure motives, interests, values, and
which the person responds “true” or “false”, “yes”
attitudes
or “no”
o They are intended to measure intellectual
 Projective (subjective)
potential.
- Provides an ambiguous test stimulus,
Aptitude Tests response requirements are unclear

Assess talent for specific kinds of learning. (Clerical Types of Tests

speed, mechanical reasoning, etc.)
1. Individual Test- Test that can be given
measure potential for acquiring a specific skills to only one person at a time

Aptitude Assessment e.g. WAIS-III, MMPI-2

 Scholastic Aptitude Tests 2. Group Test- administered to more than

one person at a time by a single examiner.
 Scholastic Assessment
Test (SAT) e.g. SAT, GRE

 American College Testing KEY CONCEPTS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

(ACT)
►Standardization
 Graduate Record
Test Norms
Examination (GRE)
Standardization group
 Vocational/Career Aptitude Tests
►Reliability
 Armed Services
Vocational Aptitude Test Correlation coefficient
Battery (ASVAB)
►Validity
 O*NET Ability Profiler
Content validity
 Criterion-related validity

Construct validity Some of the Popular Psychometric Test are:

The Methods of Standardization  16 PF: measures 16 basic

personality traits Stanford-Binnet
 Standardization is known as the intelligence scales
uniform procedures used in administrating  Wechsler Adult Intelligence
and scoring a test. Scale— Fourth Edition(WAIS-IV).
 Minnesota Multiphasic
 Test norms: information used to rank
Personality Inventory for
scores in relation to other scores on the test.
Adolescents (MMPI-A)
Characteristics a Psychometric Test should be:  Gordon’s PersonalProfile
Inventory Rorschach Ink-Blot
Objective: Test
 FIRO-B
The score must not affected by the testers'
 Children Apperception Test
beliefs or values
 Thematic Apperception Tests
Standardized: (TAT)

Must be administered under controlled

conditions CONTRASTING TESTING AND ASSESSMENT

Reliable: • OBJECTIVE:

Must minimize and quantify any intrinsic – Testing is usually numeric in nature
errors with regard to an ability or attribute
while Assessment answers a
Predictive: question, solve a problem, or arrive
at a decision through the use of
Must make an accurate prediction of tools of evaluation
performance
• PROCESS:
Test Norms:
– Testing may be individual or group
The average test score within a large group in nature, after administration it will
of people where the performance of one individual typically add up the number of
can be compared to the results of others by correct answers while Assessment
establishing a point of comparison or frame of is typically individualized and
reference. focuses on how the individual
Non Discriminatory: processes rather than simply
looking at the results
Must not disadvantage any group on the
basis of gender, culture, ethnicity, etc. • ROLE OF EVALUATOR:

– The Tester is not the key process,

with any replacement in a session
 will have it won’t affect the – Therapeutic self discovery and new
evaluation while the Assessor is understandings are encouraged
the key process from selection of throughout the assessment
test until the drawing of process.
conclusions and interpretation
• Dynamic
• SKILL OF EVALUATOR:
– An interactive approach that follows
– The Tester needs some technician the model of evaluation,
like skills in terms of administering intervention, and evaluation
the test and interpreting the results
while an Assessor requires
someone who is educated in the TOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
tools and skills of evaluation and
the organization and integration of 1.) Test
data
– Is simply defined as a measuring device or
• OUTCOME: procedure

– Testing yields scores/set of test – Psychological Test Variables differs in:

scores while Assessment entails a
logical problem solving approach • Content- vary with the focus of the
designed by a referral question particular test

• Format- pertains to form, plan,

structure, arrangement and its
PROCESS OF ASSESSMENT
administration
• Referral for assessment
• Administration procedure- it can be
• Clinical interview either one-to-one or group

• Informal assessment • Scoring and interpretation:

• Formal assessment – Score- a code/summary

statement that reflects an
• Summary of assessment evaluation of performance
on a test, task, interview,
or other samples of
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO ASSESSMENT behavior

• Collaborative – Scoring- is the process of

assigning score
– The assessor and the assessee
may work as partners from initial • Technical Quality: psychometric
contact to final feedback soundness of a test

• Therapeutic 2.) Interview

 – Conjures image of face to face talk – the account of performance spewed out can
range from a mere
– It differs with regard to many variables, such
as purpose, length, and nature – listing of scores (simple scoring report)

– Helps to make diagnosis, treatment, – Extended scoring- includes statistical

selection, or other analyses of the testtaker’s performance

decisions – Interpretative Report- is distinguished by its

inclusion of numerical or narrative
3.) Case History Data interpretive statements in the report
– Refers to records, transcripts, and other – Consultative reports- high ends of
accounts written, pictorial, or other form that interpretative report Integrative report-
preserve archival information, official, and previously collected data into the test report
informal accounts, and other data and items CAPA- Computer Assigned Psychological
relevant to an assessee Assessment
4.) Behavioral Observation – CAT- Computer Adaptive Testing
– Monitoring of actions of others or oneself by
visual or electronic means while recording
qualitative or quantitative information WHO ARE THE PARTIES INVOLVED?
regarding the action
• Test Developer
• Naturalistic
– creates test or other methods of
• Field assessment

5.) Portfolio – The APA has estimated that more

than 20,000 new psychological
– -Work products whether retained on paper, tests are developed each year.
canvas, film, video,
• Test User
– audio, or some other mediums.
– Wide range of professionals,
6.) Role-Play Tests including clinicians, counselors,
school psychologists, HR
– -is a tool of assessment wherein assessees
personnel, consumer
are directed to act as if they were in a
psychologists, experimental
particular situation
psychologists, social psychologists,
7.) Computers etc.

– scoring may be done on-site (local – Only chosen people are qualified
processing)
• Testtaker
– or conducted at some central location
– Anyone who is the subject of the
(central processing) central facility by
assessment
means of phone line (teleprocessing)
 – Variables that may affect the • Governmental & Organizational: licensure,
testtaker: certification, credentialing of professionals

• Amount of test anxiety HOW IS ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED?

• The extent to which they • BEFORE ASSSSMENT:

agree with the rationale for
the assessment – Test must be stored in ways that
reasonably ensures that its content
• Capacity and willingness will not be exposed to testtakers
to cooperate
– Ensured that a “suitably-trained”
• Physical pain or emotional person administers the test
distress properly

• The extent to which they – Examiners must be familiar with the

have prior coaching test materials and procedures

• Portraying themselves in a – All materials to properly administer

good or bad light the test must be present in the site
(e.g., stopwatch, supply of pencils,
• Society at Large & sufficient number of test
protocols)
– has a big impact on organizing and
systematizing with regards to – Ensures the venue is suitable and
uniqueness of each individual conducive for testing

• DURING ASSESSMENT:
SETTINGS IN WHICH ASSESSMENT IS • Free from any distracters (such as
CONDUCTED excessive noise, heat, cold,
interruptions, glaring sunlight,
• Educational: to help identify children who
crowding, inadequate ventilation,
may have special needs (i.e school ability,
etc), rapport (working relationship)
achievement test)
must be present between the
• Clinical: used to help screen for or diagnose examiner and the examinee
behavior problems
• AFTER ASSESSMENT:
• Counseling: improvement of the assessee in
– Safeguarding of the test protocols
terms of adjustment, productivity, or some
related variable. – Scoring must be standard
• Geriatric: to determine whether the elders – Interpretation of results must be used
are enjoying as good as a quality of life according to the established procedures
and ethical guidelines
• Business & Military: decision making about
the careers of personnel and also for – Test results must be conveyed in a clear-
promotion, demotion, and firing understandable way