Chapter 1: Psychological testing and assessment
Testing can be dated back to Binet’s scholarly test for a school in Paris, in 1905.
Testing= everything from administration of a test to interpreting a test score
Psychological assessment= the gathering and integration of psychology-related data for the purpose
of making a psychological evaluation that is accomplished through the use of tools such as tests,
interviews, case studies, behavioral observation, and specially designed apparatuses and
measurement procedures.
Psychological testing= the process of measuring psychology-related variables by means of devices or
procedures designed to obtain a sample of behavior.
The process of assessment:
Referral for assessment from a source, such as a teacher, Selection of tools or instruments to be
employed, Assessment, Assessor writes report of the findings, If necessary, more appointments will
follow
Types of assessment:
, - Collaborative psychological assessment
The assessor and assessee may work together as partners from initial contact through final
feedback.
- Therapeutic psychological assessment
Here, therapeutic self-discovery and new understandings are encouraged throughout the
assessment process.
- Dynamic assessment
Dynamic is used to describe the interactive, changing, or varying nature of the assessment.
Dynamic assessment = an interactive approach to psychological assessment (usually in
educational settings) that usually follows a model of:
Evaluation
Intervention
Evaluation
In essence, the dynamic assessment is used to provide a means for evaluating how the
assessee processes or benefits from some type of intervention during the course of
evaluation
The tools of psychological assessment:
The test
Test= the measuring device or procedure. When the word test is prefaced with a
modifier, it refers to a device or procedure designed to measure a variable related to
that modifier. Psychological tests almost always involve analysis of a sample of behavior.
This sample could be naturally occurring (observed by the assessor in real time, or
recorded), or could be a result of a stimulus presented in the test.
Psychological tests and other tools of assessment may differ with respect to a number of
variables, such as:
- Content
The content (subject matter) will vary with the focus of the particular test, but even two
tests purporting to measure the same thing, for example, personality, may differ widely
in item content. This is because test developers might have entirely different views
regarding what is important in measuring personality.
- Format
Format = the form, plan, structure, arrangement and layout of test items as well as related
considerations such as time limits. Also: whether the test is computerized (Then format also
applies to whether it is mac/windows version etc..), pencil and paper, or some other form.
- Administration procedures
, Administration procedures can differ, for example, some tests require an active and
knowledgeable test administrator, while others don’t require the presence of an
administrator.
- Scoring and interpretation procedures
Score= a code or summary statement, usually but not necessarily numerical in nature, that
reflects an evaluation of performance on a test, task, interview, or some other sample of
behavior.
Scoring= the process of assigning such evaluative codes or statements to performance on
tests, tasks, interviews or other behavior samples. This can be as simple as summing, but
scoring may also involve an elaborate procedure.
Cut score= a reference point, usually numerical, derived by judgment and used to divide a set
of data into two or more classifications. Some action will be taken or some inference will be
made on the basis of these classifications. Cut scores are subjective.
Tests differ widely in terms of their guidelines for scoring and interpretation. Some tests are
self-scored by the test taker, others are scored by computer, and others require scoring by
trained examiners.
- Technical quality
Tests differ with respect to their psychometric soundness or technical quality.
Psychometrics= the science of psychological measurement. One speaks of the psychometric
soundness of a test when referring to how consistently and how accurately a psychological
test measures what it purports to measure.
Psychometric utility= the usefulness or practical value that a test or other tool of assessment
has for a particular purpose.
The interview
Interview= a method of gathering information through direct communication involving
reciprocal exchange.
Interviews are most often conducted face-to-face, but when this is not possible, other
formats may still provide the information the interviewer is looking for. The interviewer
notes verbal as well as nonverbal behavior.
Interviews may differ regarding a number of variables, including their purpose, length
and nature.
Testing can be dated back to Binet’s scholarly test for a school in Paris, in 1905.
Testing= everything from administration of a test to interpreting a test score
Psychological assessment= the gathering and integration of psychology-related data for the purpose
of making a psychological evaluation that is accomplished through the use of tools such as tests,
interviews, case studies, behavioral observation, and specially designed apparatuses and
measurement procedures.
Psychological testing= the process of measuring psychology-related variables by means of devices or
procedures designed to obtain a sample of behavior.
The process of assessment:
Referral for assessment from a source, such as a teacher, Selection of tools or instruments to be
employed, Assessment, Assessor writes report of the findings, If necessary, more appointments will
follow
Types of assessment:
, - Collaborative psychological assessment
The assessor and assessee may work together as partners from initial contact through final
feedback.
- Therapeutic psychological assessment
Here, therapeutic self-discovery and new understandings are encouraged throughout the
assessment process.
- Dynamic assessment
Dynamic is used to describe the interactive, changing, or varying nature of the assessment.
Dynamic assessment = an interactive approach to psychological assessment (usually in
educational settings) that usually follows a model of:
Evaluation
Intervention
Evaluation
In essence, the dynamic assessment is used to provide a means for evaluating how the
assessee processes or benefits from some type of intervention during the course of
evaluation
The tools of psychological assessment:
The test
Test= the measuring device or procedure. When the word test is prefaced with a
modifier, it refers to a device or procedure designed to measure a variable related to
that modifier. Psychological tests almost always involve analysis of a sample of behavior.
This sample could be naturally occurring (observed by the assessor in real time, or
recorded), or could be a result of a stimulus presented in the test.
Psychological tests and other tools of assessment may differ with respect to a number of
variables, such as:
- Content
The content (subject matter) will vary with the focus of the particular test, but even two
tests purporting to measure the same thing, for example, personality, may differ widely
in item content. This is because test developers might have entirely different views
regarding what is important in measuring personality.
- Format
Format = the form, plan, structure, arrangement and layout of test items as well as related
considerations such as time limits. Also: whether the test is computerized (Then format also
applies to whether it is mac/windows version etc..), pencil and paper, or some other form.
- Administration procedures
, Administration procedures can differ, for example, some tests require an active and
knowledgeable test administrator, while others don’t require the presence of an
administrator.
- Scoring and interpretation procedures
Score= a code or summary statement, usually but not necessarily numerical in nature, that
reflects an evaluation of performance on a test, task, interview, or some other sample of
behavior.
Scoring= the process of assigning such evaluative codes or statements to performance on
tests, tasks, interviews or other behavior samples. This can be as simple as summing, but
scoring may also involve an elaborate procedure.
Cut score= a reference point, usually numerical, derived by judgment and used to divide a set
of data into two or more classifications. Some action will be taken or some inference will be
made on the basis of these classifications. Cut scores are subjective.
Tests differ widely in terms of their guidelines for scoring and interpretation. Some tests are
self-scored by the test taker, others are scored by computer, and others require scoring by
trained examiners.
- Technical quality
Tests differ with respect to their psychometric soundness or technical quality.
Psychometrics= the science of psychological measurement. One speaks of the psychometric
soundness of a test when referring to how consistently and how accurately a psychological
test measures what it purports to measure.
Psychometric utility= the usefulness or practical value that a test or other tool of assessment
has for a particular purpose.
The interview
Interview= a method of gathering information through direct communication involving
reciprocal exchange.
Interviews are most often conducted face-to-face, but when this is not possible, other
formats may still provide the information the interviewer is looking for. The interviewer
notes verbal as well as nonverbal behavior.
Interviews may differ regarding a number of variables, including their purpose, length
and nature.
