PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND TESTING

Classification of Tests based on the criteria of administrative conditions:

 Individual test
 Group test

Individual test:

A test can be said individual test in the sense that they can be administered to only one person
at a time. Many of the tests in these scales require oral responses from the examinee or
necessitate the manipulation of the materials. Individual intelligence tests are preferred by the
psychologist in clinics, hospitals and other settings where clinical diagnoses are made, and
where they serve not only as measures of general intelligence but also as means of observing
behavior in a standard situation.

Group Test:

Group test was developed to meet a pressing practical need. Group test can be administered
to a group of persons at a time. Group tests were designed as mass testing instruments; they
not only permit the simultaneous examination of large groups but they also use simplified
instruction and administration procedures. There by requiring a minimum of training on the
part of examiner.

Advantages and Disadvantages of individual tests:

Advantages:

 Examiners can pay more attention to the examinee.

 Examiners can easily encourage the examinee and observe his behavior during the test
more closely.
 Scores on individual tests are not as dependent on reading ability as scores in group
tests.

Disadvantages:

 It is very time-consuming
 This type of test requires a highly-trained examiner.
  It costs more than the group test.

Advantages and Disadvantages of group tests:

Advantages:

 Can be administered to very large numbers simultaneously

 Simplified examiner role
 Scoring typically more objective
 Large, representative samples often used leading to better-established norms

A highly verbal group test can have a higher validity co-efficient than an individual test.

Disadvantages:

 Scores on the group test are generally dependent on the reading ability.
 Information obtained by the group test generally less accurate than the individual tests
 The examiner has less opportunity to establish rapport, obtain cooperation, and
maintain interest
 Not readily detected if examinee tired, anxious, unwell
 Evidence that emotionally disturbed children do better on individual than group tests
 Examinee’s responses more restricted

Normally an individual is tested on all items in a group test and may become boredom over
easy items and frustrated or anxious over difficult items

Individual tests typically provide for the examiner to choose items based on the test takers
prior responses – moving onto quite difficult items or back to easier items. So individual tests
offer more flexibility.
 List and Examples of Individual and Group Test

Group 1 members

Jaya Shalini J - 22MCP011

Jeya Sharon R – 22MCP013

Koushika P – 22MCP016
Pratiksha V – 22MCP0128

Sindhu K – 22MCP034

Suveetha V – 22MCP037