Introduction to Psychological testing
1. Psychological Tests
Psychological testing refers to the administration of psychological tests. A psychological test is “an
objective and standardized measure of a sample of behavior”. The terms ample 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.
i. 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
2. 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.
• Validity – The type of test being administered must measure what it is intended to measure.
Types of Validity
a.Face Validity
Face validity is a measure of how representative a research project is ‘at face value,’ and whether it
appears to be a good project.
B. Content Validity
Content validity is the estimate of how much a measure represents every single element of a construct.
C. Criterion Validity: Criterion Validity assesses whether a test reflects a certain set of abilities.
D. Concurrent validity measures the test against a benchmark test and highcorrelation
indicates that the test has strong criterion validity.
E. Predictive validity is a measure of how well a test predicts abilities. It involves testing a
group of subjects for a certain construct and then comparing them with results obtained
at some point in the future.
F. Construct Validity
Construct validity defines how well a test or experiment measures up to its claims. A test designed to
measure depression must only measure that particular construct, not closely related ideals such as
anxiety or stress.
3. 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.
f. Scientific Inquiry or Research
Some experts use tests for research purpose which provide information about the mental level and
personality of the subject.
g. 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.
h. Industry
In industry and business tests are helpful in selection and classifying personal for placement in jobs that
range from the simpler semiskilled to the highly skilled, from the selection of filling clerks and sales-
person to top management for any of these position, however test results are only one source of
information , though an important one.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology (also known as I-O psychology, industrial-organizational
psychology, work psychology, organizational psychology, work and organizational psychology, industrial
psychology, occupational psychology, personnel psychology or talent assessment) applies psychology to
organizations and the workplace.
Common research and practice areas for I-O psychologists include:
a. Job performance
b. Job analysis
c. Personnel recruitment and selection
d. Performance appraisal/management
e. Individual assessment (knowledge, skills, and ability testing, personality assessment,
work sample tests, assessment centers)
f. Psychometrics
g. Compensation
h. Training and training evaluation/Development
i. Employment law
j. Work motivation
k. Job attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction, commitment, organizational citizenship, and
retaliation)
l. Human resources
m. Organizational development (OD)
n. Organizational research methods
o. Technology in the workplace
p. Group/team performance
q. Employ safety and health
Essentially, industrial psychologists study the behavior of employees in a work setting. Although
industrial psychology didn’t begin until the 1920’s, the discipline has evolved rapidly and revolutionized
the workplace within the last century. Because the workplace is a social system, the application of
industrial psychology is useful in understanding its complexity.
4.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.
5.Pioneers of Psychology
Modern mental testing began in France in the 19th century. It contributed to separating mental
retardation frommental illness and reducing the neglect, torture, and ridicule heaped on both groups.
Englishman Francis Galton coined the terms psychometrics and developed a method for measuring
intelligence based on nonverbal sensory-motor tests. It was initially popular, but was abandoned after
the discovery that it had no relationship to outcomes such as college grades.French psychologist Alfred
Binet, together with psychologists Victor Henri and Théodore Simon, after about 15 years of
development, published the Binet-Simon test in 1905, which focused on verbal abilities. It was intended
to identify mental retardation in school children.Wilhelm Wundtestablished the first laboratory in Leipzig
of psychology in 1879 and employed introspection as a method of studying the workings of the mind.
Psychologist and philosopher William James is often referred to as the father of American psychology.
His 1200-page text, The Principles of Psychology, became a classic on the subject and his teachings and
writings helped establish psychology as a science. James also contributed to functionalism, pragmatism
and influenced many students of psychology during his 35-year teaching career.
6. Various definitions:
A. 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.
B. Percentage – A rate, number or amount in each hundred. Any proportion or share in relation
to a whole.
C. 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.
D. Sten Scores – standard scores on a scale of ten.
E. Standrard 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.
7. Difference between test and experiment
Test Experiment
Test is standardized instrument used to measure intellectual and non-intellectual characteristics of an
individual through verbal or non-verbal measures. In Experiment the researcher tries to
manipulate the situation and tries to prove or disapprove a hypothesis
Test evaluates certain attributes of an individual.Experiment on the other hand determines cause and
effect relationship between variables.
Test does not have a hypothesis, while Experiment has a hypothesis.
Test is standardized and has norms. And Experiment does not have norms and is meant for
verification of various principles.
