Muchinsky+-+Psychological+Assessment

Psy cholo

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS paper-and-Pencil test a method of assessment in which the responses

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glcal Tests and Inv entones

INVENTORIES

psychological tests and inventories have been the most frequently used predictors in VO psychology. The difference between the two is that in a paper-and-pencil test the answers are either right or wrong, in an inventory thele ale no right or wrong answers. Usually, though, the terms tests and psychologlcal testing refer to the family of both tests and inventories.

to questions

are evaluated in terms of their correctness

History of Psychological Testing

inventory

Testing has a long multinational history in the field of psychologiz Sir Francis Galto.r, nn English biologist, was interested i.n human heredity. During the course of

a method of assessment in which

the responses to questions are recorded and interpreted but are not evaluated in terms of their c0rrectness

his research, he realized the need for measuring the characteristics of biologically related and unrelated persons. He began to keep records of people on such factors as keenness of vision and hearing, muscular strength, and reaction time. By 1880 he had accumulared the first large-scale body of information on indlvidual differences. He was probably the first scientlst to devise systematic ways of measuring

1890 the American psychologist James Cattell introduced the term mental test. He devised an eally test of intelligence based on sensory discrimination and reaction tlme. Hermann Ebbinghaus, a German psychologist, developed math and sentence-completion tests and gave them to schoolchildren. In 1897 he reported that the sentence-compietion test was related to the children's schoiastic

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achievement.

The biggest advances in the early years of testing wele made by the French psychologist Aifred Binet. ln 190,1 the French government appointed Binet to study procedures for the education of retarded children. To assess mental retardatlon, glnet (in collaboration with Theodore Simon) developed a test of intelligence. lt consisted of 30 probiems covering such areas as judgment, comprehenslon, and reasoning, whlch Binet regarded as essential components of lntelligence. Latel revisions of this rest had a larger sampiing of items from different areas. Binet's research on intelligence testing was continued by the American psychologist Lewis Terman, who in 1916 developed the concept of IQ (intelligence quotient). These early pioneers paved the way for a wide variety of tests that would be developed in the years to come, many of which were used by industrial psychologists to predict ;ot performance. Although most of the early work in testing was directed at assessing intellect, testing horizons expanded to include aptitude, ability, interest'

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and personality. speed test

Types of Tests

a type of test that has a precise time limit; a person's score

Tests can be classified either methods will be used here.

on the test is the number of items attempted in the

time period

by their administlation or by their content Both

Speed VerSuS POwer TeStS. Speed tests have a large number oI easy questions: the questions are so easy that the test taker wrl1 airvays get them right. The test is timei (for example, 5-minute limit) and has more items than can possibly be

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Chapter

4

Predictors: Psychological Assessmerlrs

power test a type of test that usually does not have a precise time limit;

a person s score on the test is the number

of items answered correctly

individual test a type of test that is administered to one individual test taker at a time

group test a type of test that

is

administered to more than one test taker at a trme

performance test a type of test that requires the test taker to exhibit physical

skitl in the manipula-

tion of objects

answered in the allotted time perlod. The total score on such a test is the number of items answered and reflects the test taker's speed of u'ork. Power tests have questions that are fairiy difficult; that is, the test taker usually cannot get them ail right. Usually ihere is no rime limit. The rotal score on such a test is the number of items answered coffectly Most tests given .in coilege are power tests. I[ time limits are imposed, they are most]y for the convenience of the test administrator.

Individual Versus Group Tests. Individual tests are given to only one person at a time. Such tests are not common because of the amount of time needed to administer them to all applicants. For example, if a test takes one hour and ten people are to take it, ten hours of administration time rvill be required. The benefits of giving such a test must be balanced against the costs. Cerrain tlpes o[ inteliigence tests are individually administered, as are certain tests for evaluating highJevel executives. In these tests the administrator has to piay an active part (for example, asking questions, demonstraring an objecr) as opposed to jusr monitoring them. Group tests are administered to several people simultaneously and are the most common tlpe of test. They do nor involve the active participation of an administrator. The Army Alpha and Army Bera resrs were earl,v group intelligence tests used in World War I. Most tests used rn educational and industrial organizati.ons are group tests because they are efficient in terms of time and cost. Paper-and-Pencil Versus Performance Tests. Paper-and-pencil tests are rhe most common t)?e of test used in industrial and educational organizations They do not involve the physical manipulation of objects or pieces of equipment. The questions asked may require answers in either multiple-choice or essay form. The individuals physical abiiity to handle a pencil should nor influence his or her score on the test. The pencil is just the means by which the response is recorded on a sheet of paper. In a performance test the indivldual has to manipulate an object or a piece of equipment. The score is a measure of the persons ability ro perform the manipulation. A tlping test and a rest of finger dexreriry are examples of performance tests. sometimes paper-and-pencil and performance tests are used jointly To get a drivers license, for example, most people have to pass both a written and a behind-the-wheel performance resr.

ETHICAL STANDARDS tN TESTING To prevent the misuse of psychological tests, the American Psychological Association has developed standards (AEM, APA, NCME, 1999). The erhics of psychological testing are a major responsibility of psychologisrs, as seen in the ApA code of professional ethics (Standards for Educational and Psycltologlcal Testing, l9B5). Maintaining ethical standards in testing is one of the more important issues confronting the entire profession of psychology (American psychological Associa-

tion. 1992).

Sources

of InJormation about

Testing

101

qualifiusers must have certain the Depending on the purpose of particu'3t'llil must be a ]icensed professional psychologist, cations' Sometimes the user *a1;tV fewer qualifications are required t" test iarly in clinical p,y*'aJg1t'if"t"*'' To prevent -their misuse and to maintain to administe' "*p'o1t*"""t tests' 1999)' (Author' *tto has access to tests security, restrlctlons;";i'";i;tta efforts wiil ultimately ;'"ii"gi; t""a"alJtitat educatlonal However, Moreland to limit the use good testing praclices than efforts be more effective l" p'o*otL'g or printing samples free Jt'"tJ"raged from giving away of tests. Test publlshe""^" invalidate could which detalled examples 'ult' i'o*"otioni'

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invasion of

PrivacY

a condition associated with testing Pertalning to the asking of questions on a test that are unrelated to the test's intent or are inherentlY intrusive to the test taker

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privacy and confldentialitv. Invasion issues are rhe invasion of

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u" used ro 1"u,,,-i,'fo,*u,t?" "::1:yt m::Jlifili test is used to hire job. For t"";;;'.;;":.;-q**-comprehension

ing the mechanics,thecompanyshouldnota|soglveaninterestinventoryjusttolearn activities' Using an lnterest about potentiul t*ptfflts' hobbies i",1 1:::t"t"nal could be an invasion of the job pt'fo"rLut"t

to inventory that has no reladonship invasive tlpes of questions are lnherently some Furthermore' of the applicants privacy intent or merit o"illtiig'"" beiiefsj' "gutai"" of the (for example,

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o""tl"Titu"ntialitv confidentialitY a condition associated with testing Pertalning to which Parttes have access resu

to test

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refers to who should

when a per-

l-t,it:ttt:'",t::t^t::*t; of the test' i'tt or she,should be told the purpose son takes ur, see the "*proiJt"i;t' and which pt"pl" * :ht -t:ilan'v ''rllexample) how the results *'ii;;'";;' for employer'

tunotr,.r prospective unless the test stto.,'ia Le confidential'

^-,h; furty the test results. Th. ,.or.,

resulls. problems urrr."ri

wanrs to know

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Advances in in this area.is the rerenrion :.1:::::i' lnformation of it possible to store large quantities computer technologlihave made aboutpeople.Whoshouldhaveaccesstorhisi.nformatlon,andwhatguaran|ees test taken in *irrr.d? The results of an intelli.gence are rhere trrut it *rirroi b" record Should a sixth grade may Ut--t O^t'"l " '1"9*'; e"rmanent-academrc school test? F.rthermore' the porenriai emplover.s., 'iiltt"1: "l:::::t;tntarv *hy would anyone want the pt'to'*utt"' 'o test probably couldn't predict.job i999; Farrell & g cttu"'-o'u'g ow' & Sawrn' tt ,.ttt" ' results? lndeed, of cogniaccuracy thut ti*! diminishes tte predictive McDaniel, zOOU revealed problems to cenrral "t'"u"rt types of quesiions are ti.ve ability measures oue' of confidentialitY'

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These

ABOUT TESTING SOURCES OF INFORMATION

up lvrth current area' it ts'important to keep resting is a rapidly changing and inlroduced' are tests Mental Measurements Because tesls are rel'lsed' ne\'v Ota titti' the in Perdevelopments yearbooks (MMY) key referencel 11e avallable discontinued. Fortunately, several a classic set of refer- some tests are encebooksinpsycho|-hapsrhemostimportantsourceo[informationi5theseriesofMentalNleasure1938' and it has been r,vas first published in ogy that provicte ments yearbootlro^\,fuotre1 pue s-rarr.1lo:rt1od 'sratq8t.la-rr1 sE qrns 'sqof Surpueurap ,{11els,{qd ur a;ueurolrad qof lnJssrrrns

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112

Chapter

4

P

redictor s :

P

sy

cholo gical Assesstnents

construcrion and a series of physical ability tests for selecting en.rployees for