2. Testing for proficiency dates back to 2200 B.C., when
the Chinese emperor used grueling tests to assess
fitness for office
Contributors to psychometrics
Francis Galton
James Cattell
Clark Wissler
Alfred Binet
A Brief History
3. A test is a standardized procedure for sampling behavior
and describing it using scores or categories
Most tests are predictive of some non-test behavior of interest
Most tests are norm-referenced = they describe the behavior in
terms of norms, test results gathered from a large group of
subjects (the standardization sample)
Some tests are criterion-referenced = the objective is to see if the
subject can attain some pre-specified criterion.
Psyche = Mind
Metric = To Measure
What is a psychometric test?
4. ‘A standardised sample of behaviour which can be
described by a numerical scale or category system’
(Cronbach)
A psychological test used in the world of work’
(Saville and Holdsworth)
‘A psychological test is any procedure on the basis of
which inferences are made, concerning a person’s
capability, propensity or liability to
act, react, experience, or structure or order thought or
behaviour in particular ways’ (BPS)
What are psychometric tests?
5. Aim to measure aspects of your mental
ability, aptitude or your personality
Used as part of the recruitment or selection process
Provide employers with a method of selecting the
most suitable job applicants or candidates for
promotion
Used by 80% of Fortune 500 and 75% of Times Top 100
companies
What is a psychometric test?
6. The term Psychometrics is used to refer a broad range
of different types of assessments and measurements
of intelligence, achievement/aptitude, and personality
7. How well you work with other people
How well you handle stress
Whether you will be able to cope with the intellectual
demands of the job
Your personality, preferences and abilities
Most do not analyze your emotional or psychological
stability
Best match of individual to occupation and working
environment
What do psychometric tests measure?
8. Uses
The word psychometric basically refers to the
measurement of the mind
To measure integrity
To screen out high-risk applicants
Hopefully improve employee retention by making
successful hiring decisions
9. Southwark at London administered a test stating that
it was personality test
After results were analyzed nearly 19 staff were told
to stop working and 10 staff were told they were
considered unsuitable for Employment
10.
11. Objective:
The score must not affected by the testers' beliefs or values
Standardized:
Must be administered under controlled conditions
Reliable:
Must minimize and quantify any intrinsic errors
Predictive:
Must make an accurate prediction of performance
Non Discriminatory:
Must not disadvantage any group on the basis of gender, culture,
ethnicity, etc.
A psychometric test should be:
13. Basis of many tests: Uses five personality traits:
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
The Five Factors Model
14. Devised by American psychologist, Will Schutz, in the 1950's
Helps people to understand themselves and their
relationships with others
Based on a 2-hour, 54-question questionnaire
Describes interpersonal behavior in terms of three primary
dimensions:
1. Need for Inclusion
2. Need for Control
3. Need for Affection
FIRO-B:
FUNDAMENTAL INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
ORIENTATION-BEHAVIOUR
15. Team building and team development
Individual development and executive coaching
Conflict resolution
Selection and placement
Management and leadership development
Relationship counseling
FIRO-B is used for:
16. Based on theories of Gustav Jung
Most widely-used questionnaire based test
Uses four bi-polar dimensions
Sensing –Intuition (SN)
Thinking – Feeling (TF)
Extraversion-Introversion (E-I)
Judging-Perceiving (J-P)
To create 16 ‘Personality Types’
MBTI: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
17. Individual development
Management and leadership development
Team building and development
Organizational change
Improving communication
Education and career counseling
Relationship counseling
MBTI is used for:
18. Developed in the 1940s and refined in the 60s
Attempts to define the basic underlying personality
Questionnaire based
Analysis using 16 personality factors
16 Personality Factor model (16PF)
19. Factor Descriptors
A Warmth Reserved Outgoing
B Reasoning Less Intelligent More Intelligent
C Emotional Stability
Affected by
feelings
Emotionally stable
E Dominance Humble Assertive
F Liveliness Sober Happy-go-lucky
G
Rule
Consciousness
Expedient Conscientious
H Social Boldness Shy Venturesome
I Sensitivity Tough-minded Tender-minded
L Vigilance Trusting Suspicious
M Abstractedness Practical Imaginative
N Privateness Straightforward Shrewd
O Apprehension Self-Assured Apprehensive
Q1
Openness to
Change
Conservative Experimenting
Q2 Self-Reliance
Group-
dependent
Self-sufficient
Q3 Perfectionism Self-conflict Self-control
Q4 Tension Relaxed Tense
The 16 factors
with their word
descriptors of
each scale
21. Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955
Used to help people better understand their
interpersonal communication and relationships
subject chooses 5 or 6 is out of a list of 55 adjectives
Peers of the subject are then pick 5 or 6 adjectives
which they think describe the subject
Johari Window
22. Each
adjective is
placed in one
of four
quadrants
Team members -
and leaders -
should strive to
increase their open
free areas, and to
reduce their
blind, hidden and
unknown areas.
24. Designed to assess one’s logical reasoning or
thinking performance
Usually consist of multiple choice
questions, administered under exam conditions
Typical test might allow 30 minutes for 30 or so
questions
At least 5000 aptitude and ability tests on the
market
On-line testing increasingly popular
Aptitude and Ability Tests
26. Try to practice some tests
Be careful & don’t be in a hurry
Don’t pretend, be yourself
Be clear with what test you are undergoing
Be confident and comprehensive
“There is no such thing as right or wrong answer”
Tips
