1. Psychological Tests
Ch 15 notes

2. Psychological Tests
Assess abilities, feelings, attitudes, and behaviors
Help predict a person’s future behavior
Uses:
Make important decisions
Measure behavior directly
Behavior-rating scales (used to measure behavior in specific places like a classroom or at work)
Most though are based on self-reports of attitudes, feelings, and behavior

3. Features of Psych. Tests
Standardized: administered and score the same way every time
Reliability: consistency
Validity: tests what it is meant to
Validity scales: questions that if answered a certain way, tell the psychologist that the test-taker is not being honest
Helpful but not foolproof
Norms: established standards of performance that are designed to tell test administrators which scores are average, high, or low
Use norm group

4. Achievement Tests
Measure skills and knowledge that a person has in specific academic area(s)
Most tests you’ve taken in high school

5. Aptitude Tests
Measure more specific abilities/skills than intelligence tests do but broader ones than achievement tests
Generally used to determine whether a person is likely to do well in a given field of work/study
Ex: SATs, MCATs

6. How can you tell the difference?
Aptitude tests intended to measure potential for learning in a specific area
Aptitude tests usually given before person has had any training in a specific area
Used to predict how well person will do once receive training in area
BUT they rely on past achievements
All aptitude tests rely on some kind of prior achievement

7. Vocational Interest Inventories
Help determine whether a person’s interests are similar to those of people in various lines of work
Ex:
Kuder Preference Records: forced-choice format
Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory: not as obvious or direct
Compares test taker’s interests to those people who are in various kinds of work
Interest does not guarantee ability in an area

8. Personality Tests
Can be used to help diagnose psychological problems and disorders
Kinds
Objective Tests: standardized group of test items in form of questionnaire
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
Validity and clinical scales
Used to diagnose and classify psychological disorders
California Psychological Inventory
Measures 15 “normal” personality traits
Larger norm group

9. Projective Tests Have no clearly specified answers Open-ended format
Rorschach Inkblot Test
Attempts have been made to standardize
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
Validity and reliability not real great

10. Tips for Taking Tests Gather information about the test
Practice: regular study periods
Be test-wise: read directions and follow them, have right equipment
Multiple-Choice Questions:
Answer before look at answers
Consider every option
Look for opposites
Look for best choice
Mark difficult questions to come back to
Guess only when odds of gaining points outweigh the odds of losing them
Change answer if you think you have made a mistake

11. Short Answer Questions
True-False Questions
For it to be true, every part must be true
Be wary of absolutes like always and never
Items that provide info and are longer than others tend to be true
Short Answer Questions
Answer in brief but complete sentences
Include significant terms
Use detail if time and space allow
Essay
Read directions
Make a quick outline of answer
Express strongest ideas first

12. Test Anxiety Quite normal to be uncomfortable before a test
Not always a bad thing because shows we understand it is important
Can be overcome
Be prepared
Overlearn
Think helpful thoughts
Cognitive restructuring: consciously changing thoughts you have in a particular situation