Chapter 1

Psychological Testing and Assessment

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2013 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved.

Testing and Assessment Defined
Testing: The process of measuring psychology-
related variables by means of devices or
procedures designed to obtain a sample of
behavior.
Assessment: The gathering and integration of
psychology-related data for the purpose of
making a psychological evaluation through tools
such as tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral
observation, and other methods.

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 Psychological Assessment
• Psychological Assessment is 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 as
sample of behavior. Some of the
differences between these two
processes are presented in table 1-1.
 Table 1-1
Testing in Contrast to Assessment
Testing Assessment
• Objective
Typically, to obtain some gauge,
usually numeric in nature, with regard
Typically, to answer a referral
to an ability or attribute. question, solve a problem, or
arrive at a decision through the
•
use of tools of evaluation.
Process
Testing may be individual or group in  
nature. After test administration the Assessment is typically
test will typically add up “the number
individualize. In contrast to
of correct answers of the number of
certain types of responses…with little
testing, assessment more typically
if any regard for the how or focuses on how an individual
mechanics of such content processes rather than simply the
(Maloney & Ward, 1976, p.39). result of that processing.
• Role of Evaluator
The tester is not key to process;
practically speaking, one tester
may be substituted for another
tester without appreciable
affecting the evaluation
• The assessor is key to the process of
selecting test and or other tools of
evaluation as well as in drawing
conclusion from the entire evaluation.

• Assessment typically requires an

• Skill of Evaluator
Testing typically requires
technician-like skills in terms of
administering and scoring a test as  
well as in interpreting a test result.
• Typically, assessment entails a logical
• Outcome
Typically, testing yields a test
score or series of test scores.
educated selection of tools of evaluation,
skill in evaluation, and thoughtful
organization and integration of data.
problem-solving approach that brings to
bare many sources of data designed to
shed light on a referral question.
 Testing and Assessment
The objective of testing is typically to obtain some gauge,
usually numerical in nature, with regard to an ability or
tribute.

The objective of assessment is typically to answer a

referral question, solve a problem or arrive at a decision
through the tools of evaluation.

Collaborative Psychological Assessment: The assessor and

assessee work as partners.

Therapeutic Psychological Assessment: Therapeutic self-

discovery is encouraged through the assessment process.
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 Assessment
Dynamic Assessment
Evaluation

Dynamic assessment is typically

employed in educational settings but
Intervention also may be used in correctional,
corporate, neuropsychological,
clinical, and other settings

Evaluation
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 What a test is?
• A test is a measurement device or technique used
to quantify behavior or aid in the understanding
and prediction of behavior.

• A test measures only a sample of behavior, and

error is always associated with a sampling process.
Test scores ae not perfect measures of a behavior
or characteristic, but they do add significantly to
the prediction process, as you will see.
• An item is a specific stimulus to which a
person responds overtly; this response can
be scored or evaluated.

• A psychological test or educational test is a

set of items that are designed to measure
characteristics of human beings that pertain
to behavior.
• Your feelings and thoughts are types are
types of covert behavior. Some tests attempt
to measure such behavior. Psychological
and educational test thus measure past and
current behavior. Some also attempt to
predict future behavior, such as success in
college or in an advanced degree program.
 Scales
• Psychologists make use of scales,
which relate raw scores on test
items to some defined theoretical
or empirical distribution.
 Types of Tests
• Individual Test - those that can be given to only to
person at a time.
• Test Administrator (person giving the test) – examiner
gives the test to only one person at a time, the same way
that psychotherapies see only one person at a time.

• Group Test – can be administered to more than one

person at a time by a single examiner, such as when an
instructor gives everyone in the class a test at the same
time.
 Different Types of Ability
• Achievement refers to previous learning. A test that
measures or evaluates how many words you can spell
correctly is called a spelling achievement test.

• Aptitude, by contrast, refers to the potential for learning or

acquiring a specific skill. A spelling aptitude test measures
how many words you might be able to spell given a certain
amount of training, education ad experience. Your musical
aptitude refers in part to how well you might be able to learn
to play a musical instrument given a certain number of
lessons.
• Intelligence refers to a person’s general potential to
solve problems, adapt to changing circumstances,
think abstractly, and profit from experience.

• Human Ability- attempts to separate prior learning

from potential for learning, for example, have not
succeeded. In view of the considerable overlap of
achievement, aptitude, and intelligence tests, all three
concepts are encompassed by the term human ability.
• Personality Tests- whereas ability tests are
related to capacity or potential. This are related
to the overt and covert dispositions of the
individual. It also measures typical behavior.
• Structured Personality Test- provide a
statement, usually of the “self-report” variety,
and require the subject to choose between two
or more alternative responses- true or false.
• Projective Personality Tests are
unstructured. Either the stimulus (test
materials) or the required response- or
both- are ambiguous. This assumes that
a person’s interpretation of an
ambiguous stimulus will reflect his or
her unique characteristics.
 Psychological Testing
• Psychological testing refers to all the possible
uses, applications, and under-lying concepts
of psychological and educational tests. The
main use of these tests, though, is to evaluate
the individual differences or variations among
individuals. Such tests measure individual
differences in ability and personality and
assume that the differences shown on the test
reflect actual differences among individual.
 Principles of Psychological Testing
• By principles of psychological testing we mean the basic
concepts and fundamental ideas that underlie all
psychological and educational tests.

• Reliability refers to the accuracy, dependability, consistency

or repeatability of test results. It refers to the degree to which
test scores are free of measurement errors.

• Validity refers to the meaning and usefulness of test results.

More specifically, it refers to the degree to which a certain
inference or interpretation based on a test is appropriate.
 Qualities of a Good Psychological
1. Experience Assessor:
2. Similarity
3. Intelligence
4. self-insights
5. social skills and adjustments
6. Detachment
7. Aesthetic attitude
8. Objectivity
9. Intraceptiveness
10. cognitive complexity or psychological-mindedness – the
capacity to grasp the implicit language of emotional
communication, to be in touch with and share another’s
feelings; complex quality involving intuitive, cognitive
and affective qualities
 Four Stages in Psychological
Assessment:
1. Planning the Assessment – Psychologists
determine what questions are to be addressed
in the assessment and how to go about
collecting information.
2. Data Collection – gathering information via
observations, interviews, testing, and record
reviews.
3. Processing Assessment Data – information is
organized and interpreted
4. Communicating Assessment Findings
Three Types of Goals of Psychological
Assessment

A. Classification
B. Description
C. Prediction
Tools of Psychological Assessment
The Test
• A psychological test is a device or procedure
designed to measure variables related to
psychology (e.g. intelligence, attitudes,
personality, interests, etc.).

• Psychological tests vary by content, format,

administration, scoring, interpretation, and
technical quality

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 Psychological Tests
Content: The subject matter of the test. Content depends
on the theoretical orientation of test developers and the
unique way in which they define the construct of interest.
Format: The form, plan, structure, layout of test items,
and other considerations (e.g. time limits).
Administration: Tests may require certain tasks to be
performed, trained observation of performance, or little
involvement by the test administrators (e.g. self-report
questionnaires).

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 Psychological Tests
Scoring and Interpretation: Scoring of tests may
be simple, such as summing responses to items, or
may require more elaborate procedures.
•Some tests results can be interpreted easily, or
interpreted by computer, whereas other tests require
expertise for proper interpretation.
Cut Score: A reference point, usually numerical,
used to divide data into two or more classifications
(e.g. pass or fail).

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 Psychological Tests
Technical Quality or Psychometric Soundness:
Psychometrics is the science of psychological
measurement. The psychometric soundness of a test
depends on how consistently and accurately the test
measures what it purports to measure.
•Test users are sometimes referred to as
psychometrists or psychometricians.

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 The Interview
The interview is a method of
gathering information through
direct communication
involving reciprocal exchange

Interviews vary as to their

purpose, length and nature

The quality of information obtained in an interview often

depends on the skills of the interviewer (e.g. their pacing,
rapport, and their ability to convey genuineness, empathy,
and humor)
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 Other Tools of Psychological Assessment
The Portfolio: A file containing the products of one’s work.
May serve as a sample of one’s abilities and accomplishments

Case History Data: Information preserved in records,

transcripts, or other forms.

Behavioral Observation: Monitoring the actions of people

through visual or electronic means

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Other Tools of Psychological Assessment
Role-Play Tests: Assessees are directed to act as if
they were in a particular situation. Useful in
evaluating various skills.

Computers as Tools:
Computers can assist in test
administration, scoring, and
interpretation.

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 Computers as Tools Contd.
• Scoring may be done on-site (local processing) or at
a central location (central processing).
• Reports may come in the form of a simple scoring
report, extended scoring report, interpretive report,
consultative report, or integrative report.
• Computer Assisted Psychological Assessment
(CAPA) and Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)
have allowed for tailor-made tests with built-in
scoring and interpretive capabilities.

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 Computers as Tools Contd.
• Assessment is increasingly conducted via the internet.

Advantages of Internet Testing

1) Greater access to potential test-users
2) Scoring and interpretation tends to be quicker
3) Costs tend to be lower
4) Facilitates testing otherwise isolated populations and
people with disabilities

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Who, What, Why, How, and Where?
Who Are the Parties?
The test developer – tests are created for research
studies, publication (as commercially available
instruments), or as modifications of existing tests.
• The Standards for Educational and Psychological
Testing covers issues related to test construction and
evaluation, test administration and use, special
applications of tests and considerations for
linguistic minorities.

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 Who are the Parties?
The test user – Tests are used by a wide range of
professionals
• The Standards contains guidelines for who should be
administering psychological tests but many countries
have no ethical or legal guidelines for test use
The test-taker – Anyone who is the subject of an
assessment or evaluation is a test-taker.
• Test-takers may differ on a number of variables at the
time of testing (e.g. test anxiety, emotional distress,
physical discomfort, alertness, etc.)

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 Who are the Parties?
Society at large – Test developers create tests to meet
the needs of an evolving society.
• Laws and court decisions may play a major role in test
development, administration, and interpretation.
Other parties - Organizations, companies, and
governmental agencies sponsor the development of tests.
• Companies may offer test scoring and interpretation
• Researchers may review tests and evaluate their
psychometric soundness

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 What Types of Settings?
Educational settings:
Students typically undergo
school ability tests and
achievement tests.
Diagnostic tests may be used
to identify areas for
educational intervention .

Educators may also make informal evaluations of

their students
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 What Types of Settings?
Clinical settings: Includes hospitals, inpatient and
outpatient clinics, private-practice consulting rooms,
schools, and other institutions.
•Assessment tools are used to help screen for or diagnose
behavior problems.
Counseling settings: Includes schools, prisons, and
governmental or privately owned institutions.
•The goal of assessments in this setting is improvements
in adjustment, productivity, or related variable.

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 What Types of Settings?
Geriatric settings: Assessment primarily evaluates
cognitive, psychological, adaptive, or other functioning. At
issue is quality of life.
Business and military settings: Decisions regarding careers
of personnel are made with a variety of achievement,
aptitude, interest, motivational, and other tests.
Government and organizational credentialing: Includes
governmental licensing, certification, or general
credentialing of professionals (e.g. attorneys, physicians, and
psychologists)

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How are Assessments Conducted?
• There are many different methods used.
• Ethical testers have responsibilities before, during, and
after testing.
Obligations include:
• familiarity with test materials and procedures
• ensuring that the room in which the test will be
conducted is suitable and conducive to the testing
• It is important to establish rapport during test
administration. Rapport can be defined as a working
relationship between the examiner and the examinee.
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Assessment of People with Disabilities
• The law mandates “alternate
assessment” – The definition of this
is up to states or school districts

• Accommodations need to be
made – the adaptation of a test,
procedure, or situation, or the
substitution of one test for
another, to make the assessment
more suitable for an assessee
with exceptional needs
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 Where to go for Information on Tests
• Test catalogues - catalogues distributed by publishers of
tests. Usually brief, and un-critical, descriptions of tests.
• Test manuals - Detailed information concerning the
development of a particular test and technical information.
• Reference volumes – reference volumes like the Mental
Measurements Yearbook or Tests in Print provide detailed
information on many tests.
• Journal articles - contain reviews of a test, updated or
independent studies of its psychometric soundness, or
examples of how the instrument was used in either research
or an applied context.

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Where to go for Information on Tests
• Online databases - Educational Resources Information Center
(ERIC) contains a wealth of resources and news about tests,
testing, and assessment. There are abstracts of articles,
original articles, and links to other useful websites.
• The American Psychological Association (APA) has a number
of databases including PsycINFO, ClinPSYC,
PsycARTICLES, and PsycSCAN.
• Other sources - Directory of Unpublished Experimental
Mental Measures and Tests in Microfiche. Also, university
libraries provide access to online databases such as PsycINFO
and full-text articles..

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