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Introduction To Psychological Testing

Psychological testing involves the administration of standardized tests to measure behavior and psychological constructs such as intelligence and personality. The historical development of psychological testing began with early researchers like Francis Galton and culminated in significant advancements during World War I, leading to the widespread use of tests in various fields. Proper psychological testing requires standardization, objectivity, reliability, and validity to ensure accurate measurement and interpretation of individual differences.

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14 views5 pages

Introduction To Psychological Testing

Psychological testing involves the administration of standardized tests to measure behavior and psychological constructs such as intelligence and personality. The historical development of psychological testing began with early researchers like Francis Galton and culminated in significant advancements during World War I, leading to the widespread use of tests in various fields. Proper psychological testing requires standardization, objectivity, reliability, and validity to ensure accurate measurement and interpretation of individual differences.

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Introduction to Psychological testing [Heading page]

Psychological testing refers to the administration of psychological tests. A


psychological test is "an objective and standardized measure of a sample of behavior". The
term sample of behavior refers to an individual's performance on tasks that have usually been
prescribed beforehand.

Performance on the items produces a test score. A score on a well-constructed test is believed
to reflect a psychological construct such as achievement in a school subject, ability, aptitude,
emotional functioning, personality, etc. Differences in test scores are thought to reflect
individual differences in the construct the test is supposed to measure. The technical term for
the science behind psychological testing is psychometrics.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

Francis Galton (1822-1911) was the first scientist to undertake systematic and statistical
investigation of individual differences. He was preceded by other psychologists who were
either concerned with problem of dualism of mind and matter or general problems and
theories rather than individual differences.

Gustav Theodor Fechner (1801-87) who started his career in physics and chemistry was more
concerned about the application of exact methods of natural science to the study of inner
world i.e. the relation of mental processes to physical phenomenon.

J. Muller (1801-58), a professor of physiology was especially interested in the physiology of


the senses and in reflex action and did significant experiments in space perception.

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) established the first lab of psychology in 1879 at Leipzing,
Germany. He employed physiological methods and introspection in his research.

Jean Esquirol (1772-1840) made the explicit distinction between mental illness and mental
deficiency. He also differentiated among the several levels of mental deficiency. He tried to
differentiate them on the basis of physical measurements, especially size and formation of the
skull but was not successful. He also said that development and use of language is one of the
most useful and valid criteria for differentiating levels of mental deficiency.
The term mental test was first employed by McKean Cattell in a publication of 1890. Cattell
tests were of memory, imagery, hearing, colour vision, reaction time etc.

Binet and Simon (1905) developed the first standard scale of intelligence to differentiate
among three levels of mental deficiency- moron, imbecile and idiot.

Shortly after 1916 the most significant occurrence in psychological testing was the
development of group tests. During World war I government wanted to recruit individuals in
army by means of psychological methods. So, two group tests were developed Alpha Verbal
Test and Beta Non verbal Test. This led to the use of psychological tests in various fields.
Aptitude testing also received impetus in world war I. Aptitude tests was developed to
measure an individual‘s ability to perform a task of specific kind. In World War I aptitude
tests were used to select men for tasks requiring specific skills. This was followed by
developing Occupational Interest Inventory, test batteries (during World War II) personality
tests, rating scales etc. Since the World War I the use of psychological tests has continuously
increased.
Difference between test and experiment

Test Experiment
It is standardized instrument used to The researcher tries to manipulate the
measure intellectual and non-intellectual situation and tries to prove or
characteristics of an individual through disapprove a hypothesis
verbal or non-verbal measures
It evaluates certain attributes of an It determines cause and effect
individual. relationship between variables.
It does not have a hypothesis It has a hypothesis.
It is standardized and has norms. It does not have norms and is meant for
verification of various principles.

Types of tests
Tests have been developed to measure many different human developments. They are
classified as:

 On the basis of Administration – Group test and individual test


 On the basis of Behaviour – Ability tests [Intelligence tests and achievement tests],
Personality Tests [structures personality tests, projective techniques and behavioral
analysis]
 On the basis of context – Verbal tests, non-verbal tests, performance tests

[Define the above-mentioned from chapter 2 NCERT Psychology Book GRADE 11]

Fundamental Concept of Psychological Testing

Proper psychological testing is conducted after vigorous research and development in


contrast to quick web-based or magazine questionnaires that say "Find out your Personality
Color," or "What's your Inner Age?" Proper psychological testing consists of the following:

 Standardization - All procedures and steps must be conducted with consistency


and under the same environment to achieve the same testing performance from
those being tested.
 Objectivity - Scoring such that subjective judgments and biases are minimized,
with results for each test taker obtained in the same way.
 Test Norms - The average test score within a large group of people where the
performance of one individual can be compared to the results of others by
establishing a point of comparison or frame of reference.
 Reliability - Obtaining the same result after multiple testing. It refers to the
consistency of scores obtained by the same person when re-examined with the
same test with different set of questions at another time.

Types of Reliability

Test Retest reliability- it is computed by finding co-efficient of correlation


between the two sets of scores on the same set of persons. It indicates the
temporal stability or stability of the test scores over time.

Split Half Reliability-It gives an indication about the degree of internal


consistency of the test. The test is divided into two equal halves employing odd
even method.
 Validity - The type of test being administered must measure what it is intended to
measure.
Types of Test Scores and Their Interpretations
 Percentile Rank – An individual`s percentile rank on a test designates the percentage
of cases or scores lying below it. For e.g. Percentile 20 means the individual is
situated above 20% of the group fall below this person`s rank.
 Percentage – A rate, number or amount in each hundred. Any proportion or share in
relation to a whole.
 Stanine scores – According to this method the standard population is divided into 9
groups. Stanine 1 is the lowest and stanine 9 is the highest.
 Sten Scores – standard scores on a scale of ten.
 Standard scores – It designates the individual`s position with respect to the total range
and distribution of scores. The standard score indicates, in terms of standard deviation
how far a particular score is removed from the mean of the distribution.

Application of Psychological testing


a. Detection of specific Behavior
Psychological test is used to measure and to detect the abilities of a person.
b. Individual Differences
A psychological test is used to measure the individual differences, that is different between
abilities of different persons and the performance of the same person at different time.
c. To diagnose by the Psychological Test
The psychological tests are usually used in clinical psychology.In clinical psychology a test's
function is to diagnose mental disorders. So tests are used in mental hospitals and coaching
and guidance centers for the assessment and diagnose of mental disorders.
d. Legal Classification
A psychological test helps in classifying a number of people into different categories For
example normal and abnormal, criminal and innocent, intellectual and mental retarded, able
and disable etc.
e. Promoting Self Understanding
A psychological test provide standardized information about the abilities, capabilities,
aptitudes, potential competencies interest, trait and states of a person which helps in
understanding one's personality and planning future prospective.
f. Program Evaluation
Effectiveness of a particular program is assessed by the applications of some kind of test.
This function is usually performed by an achievement test.
g. Scientific Inquiry or Research
Some experts use tests for research purpose which provide information about the mental level
and personality of the subject.
h. Military Selection
A closely related application of psychological testing is to be found in the selection and
classification of military personal. From simple beginnings in the World War-I, the scope and
variety of psychological tests employed in military situations underwent a phenomenal
increase during World War-II. Subsequently research on test development has been
containing on a large scale in all brands of the normed services.
i. Education
Psychological tests especially those of general intelligence and of specific aptitudes have very
extensive use in educational classification, selection and planning from the 1st grade (and
sometimes earlier) through the university. Prior to World War-II schools and colleges were
the largest users of psychological tests.

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