1. Lesson 1 Foundations of measurement in Psychology

2. Definition of Psychometrics
It is a methodological discipline within the area of psychology.
It uses the scientific method.
Muñiz (1998): psychometrics can be broadly defined as the set of methods, techniques and theories involved in the measurement of psychological variables.
It provides techniques for the construction of measuring instruments with:
Reliability (lesson 5): consistency of a measurement.
Validity (lesson 6): the instrument is useful to explain and predict the phenomena.
It does not have a specific scope, but it covers all fields of psychology (personality, cognitive processes, attitudes, etc.).

3. Evaluation tools
Basic criteria for the classification of evaluation tools:
First criterion:
NATURE OF DATA
Second criterion:
LEVEL OF STANDARDIZATION
qualitative
Not standard (behavioral records, documentary sources)
quantitative
Semi-standard (structured interview, questionnaire, survey)
Standard (physiological tests, tests, etc.).

4. Semi-standard and standard tools
Common characteristics:
Systematic: the task, instructions, responses, the procedure, the correction and interpretation are equivalent for all the participants.
Purpose: To predict different or more general behavior than the directly observed (e.g., opinions).
Difference: semi-standard tools do not meet all the requirements of standard tools (they lack at least one).