FOUNDATIONS OF

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING
Araceli S. Peola
Jacqueline Samana
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Testing goes back to the ancient Chinese (2200 B.C.),
who tested the abilities of officials

Psychological testing owes much in the early psychiatry
and as it does to the laboratories of experimental
psychology

Most historians trace the beginnings of psychological
testing to the experimental investigation of individual
differences that flourished in Germany and Great Britain
in the late 1800s.

Uses of
Psychological Test
Field Typical Assessment Activities
Clinical Psychology Intelligence and Psychopathology
Counseling Psychology Career interest, skills, social adjustment
Industrial/Organizational
Psychology
Managerial potential, training needs, cognitive
and psychomotor ability
School Psychology Ability and academic progress, maturity and
readiness for school
Neuropsychology Handicapped children, brain damage
Classification of
Psychological test
According to Mode of Administration
Speed test
Power test
Group test
Individual test

According to types of items included
Easy or free answer test
Objective test

According to principles of test construction
Standardized administered and scored in a consistent or standard
manner
Teacher made informal test/assessment like classroom observation


Classification of
Psychological test
According to themed measured

Intelligence test attempt to measure your potential
Aptitude test
Achievement test
Interest test
Adjustment inventory
Attitude scale-designed to tell you something about yourself



Characteristics of a
good test
Technical Attributes
1. Validity - is the degree to which a certain inference from a test is
appropriate or meaningful.


Types Purpose Procedure Type of Test
Content To compare whether the test
items match the set of goals
and objectives
Compare test blueprint with
the school, course, program
objectives
Survey
achievement tests,
criterion,
referenced test
exam
Criterion:
Concurrent
To determine whether there
is a relationship between a
test & an immediate
criterion measure
Correlate test scores with
criterion measure at or about
the same time. Use a rating,
observation or another test as
criterion
Aptitude test
Ability test
Personality test
Employment test
Types of test
Characteristics of a
good test
Types Purpose Procedure Type of Test
Criterion:
Predictive
To determine whether there
is a relationship between a
test and a criterion measure
to be obtained in the future
Correlate test scores with
criterion measure obtained
after a period of time
Scholastic,
aptitude, general
aptitude, batteries,
prognostic test
readiness test
personality test
Construct To determine whether a
construct exists and to
understand the traits or
concepts that make up the
set of scores or items
Conduct multivariate statistical
analysis such as factor analysis
discriminant analysis,
multivariate analysis of
variance
Intelligence tests
Aptitude tests
Personality tests
Characteristics of a
good test
2. Reliability refers to the degree to which test scores are consistent,
dependable, or repeatable, it is a function of the degree to which test
scores are free from errors of measurement

Method Procedure Coefficient Problems
Test - retest Same procedure test given
twice with time interval
between testings
Stability Memory effect
Practice effect Change
overt time
Alternate forms Equivalent test given with time
between testings
Equivalence and
stability
Hard to develop two
equivalent tests. May
reflect change in
behavior over time
Internal
consistency
One test given at one time
only (test divided into part
in split half)
Equivalence
and internal
consistency
Uses shortened forms
(split half) only good if
traits are unitary or
homogeneous
Methods of assessing reliability
Characteristics of a
good test
Factors affecting Reliability
1. Length increases reliability
2. Homogeneity increases reliability
3. Shorter time, higher reliability
4. Type of reliability estimate
Principal Sources of Inconsistency
I. Lasting and general characteristics of the individual
A. Level of ability on one or more general traits, which operate in a number of
test
B. General skills and techniques of taking test
C. General ability to comprehend instructions

II. Lasting but specific characteristic of the individual
A. Specific to the test as a whole
a) Individual level of ability on traits required in this test but not in others
b) Knowledge and skills specific to a particular form of test items
c) Stable response sets
B. Specific to particular test items
a) The chance element determining whether the individual knows a particular fact
b) Item types with which various examinees are unequally familiar

III. Temporary but general characteristics of the individual

A. Health
B. Fatigue
C. Motivation
D. Emotional strain
E. Test-wiseness

IV. Temporary and specific characteristics of the ndividual
A. Specific to a test as a whole
a) Comprehension of the specific test task
b) Specific tricks or techniques of dealing with the particular test material
c) Level of practice on the specific skills involved
d) Momentary mindset for a particular test

F. Understanding of mechanic s of testing
G. Changes in weather
H. Noises and distractions
I. Dislike of present situation

Principal sources of
inconsistency

B. Specific to a particular test items
a) Fluctuations and idiosyncrasies of human memory
b) Unpredictable fluctuations in attention or accuracy, superimposed on the general
level of performance characteristic of the individual

V. Systematic or change factors affecting the administration of the test or
the appraisal of test performance
A. Conditions of testing
B. Interaction of personality
C. Unreliability or bias in grading or rating performance

VI. Variance not otherwise accounted for (chance)
A. Luck in selection of answers by sheer guessing
B. Momentary distraction



Sources of information
about test

Specimen sets
Publishers catalog
Test review volume
Journals in the measurement field
Newsletter from ERIC, professional organizations, publisher
Abstracts (e.g., ERIC, CUE, Psychological abstracts)
Test collection, specific annotated bibliography
Text, reference books, manual e.g., Murphy, Conoley, Impara
Mental measurement yearbooks
Internet
Manual position paper on standards for educational and
psychological tests
Colleagues or persons working in the field






Rights of Test Takers

As a test taker, you have the right to:

Be treated with courtesy, respect, and impartiality

Be tested with measures that meet professional standards and that are
appropriate, given the manner in which the test results will be used.

Receive a brief oral or written explanation prior to testing about the purpose(s) or
testing, the kind(s) of tests to be used, if the results will be reported to you or to
others, and the planned use(s) of the results.

Know in advance of testing when the test will be administered, if and when test
results will be available to you, and if there is a fee for testing services that you are
expected to pay.