Psychological tests aim to reliably and validly measure constructs like intelligence, personality, interests, and abilities. Intelligence tests assess general mental abilities and specific skills, with theories proposing single or multiple factors of intelligence. Personality tests evaluate characteristics and problems through objective questionnaires or projective techniques interpreting ambiguous stimuli. Achievement and aptitude tests respectively measure learning and predict skill acquisition. Psychological testing provides standardized assessment with norms, though factors like culture must be considered.
3. Section 1 – Characteristics of Psychological Tests
Test Reliability – Consistently yielding the same
results
• Reliability- the ability of a test to give the
same results under similar conditions
Similar repeated scores show this
Interscorer/Scorer Reliability
Split Half Reliability
4. Test Validity
• Validity- the ability of a test to measure what
it is intended to measure
• Predictive validity – predicting performance
5. Other concepts…
Standardization – tests administered/scored same always
Establishing Norms – relationship to average score by a large
group
Percentile System- ranking of test scores that indicates the ratio
of scores lower and higher than a given score.
Norms- standard of comparison for test results developed by
giving the test to large, well-defined groups of people.
Norms change over time, standards do not
8. Two-Factor Theory of Intelligence
Two-Factor Theory- proposes that two factors
contribute to an individual’s intelligence.
1. “G” – General Intelligence
2. “S” – Specific Mental Abilities (Math, Verbal, etc…)
9. Thurstone’s Theory of Intelligence
• No overall, general intelligence (“G”)
7 Primary Mental Abilities
1. Verbal comprehension
2. Reasoning
3. Perceptual speed
4. Numerical ability
5. Word fluency
6. Associative memory
7. Spatial visualization
12. Sternberg’s Theory of Intelligence
Triarchic Theory- proposes that intelligence can
be divided into three ways of processing
information
1. Analytical
2. Creative
3. Practical
13. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence- includes four major aspects
of interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences
1. Perceive/Express
Emotions Correctly
2. Use emotions while
thinking
3. Understand
emotions/use
knowledge
4. Regulate emotions
for personal growth
15. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
• Alfred Binet – at Stanford – Developed – Most
common
• Intelligence Quotient (IQ) – standardized
measure of intelligence based on a scale in
which 100 is average
• IQ = Mental age/actual age X 100
• Over 100 = above average, under 100 = below
16. Uses and Meaning of IQ Scores
• Do they really measure intelligence?
• Test taking?
They are generally accurate in predicting school
performance
17. Controversies over IQ Testing
Nature versus Nurture
Heritability – the degree to which a
characteristic is related to inherited genetic
factors
Cultural Bias – an aspect of an intelligence test
in which the wording used in questions may be
more familiar to people of one social group than
to another group
19. Aptitude Test- estimates the
probability that a person will be
successful in learning a specific new
skill
• http://walterfootball.co
m/draftwonderlic.php
Example – Wonderlic Test
– Given to Football
players when they are
tested after
college, before entering
the pros… ACT
21. Interest Inventory- measures a
person’s preferences and attitudes in
a wide variety of activities to identify
areas of likely success.
22. Section Four- Personality Testing
• Personality test- assesses an individual’s
characteristics and identifies problems
23. Objective Personality Tests
• Objective tests- a limited- or forced-choice
test in which a person must select one of
several answers
• MMPI – Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory – used for police entrance
• CPI – California Psychological Inventory –
adjustment to stress, leadership, job success
• Myers-Briggs – focused on showing
relationships with others
24. Projective Personality Tests
• Projective tests- an unstructured test in which
a person is asked to respond freely, giving his
or her own interpretation of various
ambiguous stimuli.
25. Rorschach Inkblot Test
• 10 cards with
inkblots, record
responses (verbal and
nonverbal) – reveals
hidden meaning
