GENERAL VIVA QUESTIONS

1. What is a psychological test?

It is a standardized and objective instrument used to measure a psychological attribute in an
individual either quantitatively (in form of numbers, like in CFIT, MPI etc) or qualitatively (in form
of descriptions, like in projective tests) by collecting a sample of verbal or non- verbal behavior
(i.e., responses on a few selected items or tasks). Its purpose is twofold: to compare the same
individual on two or more than 2 attributes (trait or any characteristic, skill, ability etc.) to
compare two or more individuals on the same attribute.

● standardized- A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent

or same manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the instructions and
questions (as they are worded) communicate the same meaning to all; the conditions for
administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are same or predetermined. Thus,
when a test is given in the same manner to all test takers, and then, graded in the same
manner for everyone is a standardized test. objective- If 2 or more researchers
administer a psychological test on the same group of people, both of them come up with
more or less the same values for each person in the group. Standardization of the test is
essential for objectivity of the test.
● objective- If 2 or more researchers administer a psychological test on the same group of
people, both of them come up with more or less the same values for each person in the
group. Standardization of the test is essential for objectivity of the test.

2. Why do we use psychological tests? (many uses, some of which are following:)

selection and placement of individuals for appropriate tasks or jobs;

training: to assess changes in individuals before and after training programs

diagnosis and treatment planning: to identify the condition an individual is suffering from,
eg., neurotic tendencies, anxiety, adjustment issues, psychological conflicts etc.

comparison: to identify differences between individuals

classification: by identification of differences, similar individuals are classified and

intervention can be made. eg., intervention for children identified with mild or moderate
intellectual disability.

guidance and counseling: to identify strengths and weaknesses of individuals (like

aptitude, interests etc.) and to make predictions regarding adjustment in future.
self- knowledge: feedback helps test takers to mould their paths for betterment and right
choices.

improving classroom instruction: modification of instruction methods by assessing

whether students’ learning is benefited.

3. What are the different types of psychological tests?

Verbal tests: use language, for example, Maudsley Personality Inventory, Stanford Binet
Intelligence Scale, Differential Aptitude Test

Non-verbal psychological tests: use figures and symbols. Rely on little or no verbal
expression and are useful for a number of populations, such as non-native speakers,
children with poor expressive abilities etc Examples are: Raven’s Progressive Matrices
test (a scale for measuring intelligence)

Performance tests: involve manipulation of objects given, like Kohs Block Design test for
measuring intelligence

Individual tests: Need one to one administration. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, Kohs
Block Design test, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(WAIS), Wechsler Intelligence Scale
for children (WISC) – all of them to assess intelligence. AND Rorschach Inkblot test for
assessing personality.

Group tests: Are group administrable where instructions are given to the group of several
subjects and test administration is carried out on the entire group. Examples are Group
Test of Intelligence by Prayag Mehta, Group test of General Mental Ability by S. Jalota,
Bell’s Adjustment Inventory

Advantages of group tests

*can be administered to very large numbers simultaneously
*scoring typically more objective
*large, representative samples often used leading to better established norms
Disadvantages of group tests

*can be administered to very large numbers simultaneously *scoring typically more

objective *large, representative samples often used leading to better established norms

*examiner has less opportunity to obtain cooperation and maintain subject’s interest *not
readily detected if examinee tired, anxious, unwell *evidence that emotionally disturbed
children do better on individual than group tests *examinee’s responses are more
restricted *not as flexible as individual tests.
Speed Test: all items of uniform level of difficulty and challenge is to complete them in
the stipulated time period give. Test of Clerical ability (a subtest in Differential Aptitude
Test Battery)

Power Test: the items increase in their level of difficulty and there is considerable time
duration to complete all of them. Real challenge is to answer all of the items. Raven’s
Progressive Matrices test

4. What is a scale?

A scale is commonly used with respect to attitudes or constructs for which there is not a
correct response like personality traits etc, but demands the levels to which participants
agree on a particular statement that is presented to them, e.g., on a scale of 1-5, a
participant will report his/her level of agreement on a statement.

5. What is the difference between a test and an experiment?

Test is a standardized tool to measure a psychological attribute. However, an experiment

is a controlled setup established to arrive at a cause-effect relationship between two
events or variables. In tests, we measure psychological attributes, but in experiments, we
check the hypotheses in controlled conditions. Tests are standardized tools constructed
by psychometricians but experiments are designed by any reasercher having the
knowledge of the experimental method.

6. What is a battery?

In testing, a battery is usually a set or a group of similar but relatively independent tests
administered on a participant. They give us multidimensional measurements of some
complex attribute. For example, Differential Aptitude Test battery is a set of independent
tests. All of these sub-tests allow us to measure the multidimensional nature of the same
construct-‘aptitude’ in a variety of areas like numerical, spatial, spelling and language etc.
7. What is an inventory?

An inventory refers to a single comprehensive or complete list of items which tries to

incorporate or capture all aspects of a certain concept. An inventory is more often used
to measure personality traits and vocational tendencies. They do not demand a correct
answer from the participant but an indication of an option that seems most adequate in
characterizing their personality. However, unlike an inventory, in a test, there are right
and wrong answers.

An inventory refers to a single comprehensive or complete list of items which tries to

incorporate or capture all aspects of a certain concept. An inventory is more often used
to measure personality traits and vocational tendencies. They do not demand a correct
answer from the participant but an indication of an option that seems most adequate in
characterizing their personality. However, unlike an inventory, in a test, there are right
and wrong answers.

8. What is reliability? Why is it needed? What are its types?

Reliability= Consistency or reproducibility of scores. This means individuals scoring high

on one set of items also score high on an equivalent set of items and those scoring low
on one set items also score low on an equivalent set of items. A statistical method of
correlation is used to find this consistency.

A test which is not consistent is not useful to measure psychological attributes. It yields
different measurement about an individual every different time it is administered.

Types of Reliability:

1. Test-Retest Reliability (gives temporal stability coefficient) tests the extent to which
participants retain their test scores over a given period of time, usually around 15 days.

Same participants are given same test after a gap of 15 days. High correlation between
their scores indicates high test retest reliability. However, practice and memory effects
may distort the reliability coefficient because tests have identical items.

2. Split half Reliability (or internal consistency reliability)

Internal consistency is the extent to which the test items measure the same function or
attribute. A test is divided into two equal halves by odd even method of items and
correlation is computed between the scores obtained on these two halves of the test.
High correlation suggests high reliability. (Division or Splitting of a test into two equal
halves us carried out after obtaining the responses from the participant)
First half and second half splitting of test is not acceptable because in power tests,
difficulty level of items increases which would yield incorrect reliability.

3. Alternate Forms Reliability or Parallel forms reliability

Two forms of a test (such as given in CFIT- Form A and Form B of the same test) are
administered on a group of participants. High correlation between the scores on two
forms suggests high alternate forms reliability. Practice and memory effects do not distort
reliability because two forms do not have identical items.

4. Inter- Scorer Reliability

Correlation between the scores given by two scorers who are scoring the same test (like
creativity or personality) according to their judgment yields us the inter-scorer reliability.
High correlation suggests high inter-scorer reliability on tests that are subjectively scored.

9. What is validity?

Validity is the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure. It is the extent
to which inferences made from a test are appropriate, meaningful and useful.

A test should be a valid indicator of what is assessed. For example, in the name of
mathematical ability, it should assess mathematical ability only and not the language
proficiency

10. What is the relationship between reliability and validity of a test?

A test which is not reliable cannot be valid. Reliability is self- correlation or efficiency of a
test. A test which doesn’t correlate with itself and is not consistent cannot correlate with
other outside criteria. Poor reliability yields poor validity.

11. What are norms?

An individual’s performance is taken on any psychological test in terms of raw scores.

These raw scores might be expressed differently for different tests, for example, number
of correct responses, number of trials taken to arrive at the correct response, time taken
to arrive at a response etc. These raw scores have no meaning in themselves because
they do not allow for meaningful comparisons, for example, a score of 40 on arithmetic
reasoning test and a score of 30 on history test cannot be compared meaningfully to
arrive at a meaningful conclusion. It is like comparing apples with oranges.
12.What are the shortcomings of psychological tests?

invasion of privacy, personal and sensitive information, if used without consent.

can permanently categorize or label persons, eg., as gifted and retarded.

create anxiety in participants and affect their performance if rapport and instructions are
improperly transacted.

can measure only a limited aspect of behaviors of participants.

many tests do not entertain atypical and creative responses and thus pose
discrimination.

13.What is formation of rapport? Why is it done?

Rapport is a state that occurs when two individuals are able to connect and communicate
with one another well. This connect can be promoted through mutual attention, light
conversation, positivity, a welcoming and respecting body posture, non-evaluative
expressions and a healthy eye contact. This type of relationship is one therapists attempt
to cultivate with clients. Along with the therapists, rapport building is also a key to build a
trusting relationship when collecting data. This ensures that the research participant is
comfortable and at ease.

14.What is the importance of giving instructions in a test?

Instructions are important to give so that the subject has a prior idea about what to do in
a test. Also, since tests are standardized instruments, it is essential that the way they are
worded and interpreted remains the same for all individuals. Hence, the instructions are
transacted in the way they are. Changing them would distort their sense.

15.What is an introspective report and why is it collected?

Introspective report is written by the subject and it is a report of his/her experiences of

being through the process. It can serve as a window to the interpretation of the test
results.

16.What is the behavioral report and why is it written?

The test administrator writes the behavioral report by observing the subject on whom the
test is administered (or an experiment is conducted). It is the record of observable
behaviors that the subject exhibited during the process which can help in interpreting or
supporting the test results.
17.Are there any ethical guidelines while administering a test?

Voluntary participation, informed consent, privacy of the participant, confidentiality of the

data obtained, sharing the results with the subject, debriefing to the subject after the
study is over if deception was used or something was hidden

Questions from the NCERT

Although the whole book is important and anything from the syllabus can be asked, the
following topics are relatively more important than the rest. Therefore, try to at least
recall all these topics at least once before the exam.
Chapter 1
1. Individual differences
2. Situationism
3. Aptitude V/s Interest
4. Case Study
5. History of definition of Intelligence
6. Psychometric v/s Info. processing approach
7. Uni factor Th.
8. Bi factor Th.
9. Arthur Jensen
10. Theory of Multiple Intelligence
11. Componential Intelligence
12. Street smart V/s Business smart
13. PASS MODEL founders
14. Nature V/s Nurture
15. IQ formula
16. Normal Probability Curve
17. Intellectual Disability LEVELS
18. Talent v/s Giftedness
19. Technological Intelligence
20. Int. in Indian view
21. Creativity Test V/s Int. Test

Chapter 2
1. Personal and Social Identity
2. Self as subject /object
3. Personal & Social SELF V/s Personal & Social Identity
4. Self concept , esteem , efficacy.
5. Methods of self regulation
6. Individualistic and Collectivistic Culture
7. Type V/s Trait Approach
8. Any 4 Type approach to be learned
9. Allport’s Theory
10. 16PF
 11. H.J Eysenck
12. FIVE FACTOR MODEL
13. Id energies
14. Principles of Id and ego
15. Parental authority of Superego
16. Defence Mechanism for Value based
17. Oedipus and Electra Complex
18. Fixation and Regression
19. Carl Jung
20. Karen Horney
21. All three approaches DIFFERENCES
22. Well V/s Poorly Adjusted Individual
23. Social Desirability & Acquiescence
24. Any 3 personality test to be Learned Properly
25. Biases of Behavioural analysis

Chapter 3
1. Eustress V/s Distress
2. Types of Appraisal
3. Frustration
4. Conflict
5. Social Pressure V/s Social Stress
6. Burnout
7. GAS theory
8. Psychoneuroimmunology Definition
9. Stress Coping Strategies (any 5)
10. Stress Resistant Personality Characteristics (Any 5)
11. Types Of support
Chapter 4
1. 4 D’s of Psychological Disorders
2. Dual Meaning of MALADAPTIVE
3. Renaissance Period
4. Age of Reason and Enlightenment
5. Deinstitutionalization
6. DSM-5 and ICD-10 Fullforms
7. Biological Factors
8. Psychodynamic Model
 9. Behaviour Model
10. Socio-cultural Model
11. Diathesis-Stress Model
12. GAS V/s Panic DISORDER
13. Agoraphobia
14. SAD
15. OCD
16. PTSD
17. Illness Anxiety V/s Somatic Symptom disorder
18. Dissociative Fugue
19. DID
20. Major Depressive Disorder
21. Bipolar 1,2,3(brief)
22. Positive and Negative symptoms of Schizophrenia
23. Psychomotor Symptoms
24. ADHD
25. Autism In brief
26. Types Of aggression
27. Anorexia V/s Bulimia nervosa
28. Types of NARCOTICS
29. Withdrawal symptoms and Dependence

Chapter 5
1. Unconditional Positive Regard
2. Empathy V/s Sympathy
3. MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PSYCHODYNAMIC , BEHAVIOURAL AND
EXISTENTIAL THERAPY
4. Behavioural Therapy : Methods of treatment.
5. RET
6. Logotherapy
7. Client Centered therapy
8. Alternative Therapies (any 4)
9. Ethics in Psychotherapy

Chapter 6
1. Impression Formation
2. ABC components of Attitudes
 3. Valence, Extremeness, Multiplicity and centrality
4. Attitude formation ( Any 4)
5. Factors affecting attitude formation ( any 3)
6. POX theory
7. Cognitive Dissonance V/s Consistency
8. Factors Affecting ATTITUDE CHANGE
9. Stereotypes
10. Prejudices
11. Kernel of truth

Chapter 7
1. Group V/s Team V/s Crowd
2. Group Formation
3. STAGES of group forming
4. Types of groups
5. Social Loafing
6. Group Polarization
7. BandWagon Effect