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Foundations of Psychl Measurement

Psychometric theory extends concepts of relationships between variables from regression analysis. The history of psychological testing began timidly but is now big business. Early intelligence tests originated in France and measured digit span to predict school failure. Testing has been used in China since 2200 BC to assess fitness for office and in Germany and Britain in the late 1800s to develop brain damage tests. Galton pioneered experimental psychology in the 19th century by measuring reaction time and other factors. Tests are now pervasive in schools, workplaces, and medical settings for counseling, selection and placement, though they can also be misused or rely on invalid measures.

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Danilo Siquig Jr.
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46 views

Foundations of Psychl Measurement

Psychometric theory extends concepts of relationships between variables from regression analysis. The history of psychological testing began timidly but is now big business. Early intelligence tests originated in France and measured digit span to predict school failure. Testing has been used in China since 2200 BC to assess fitness for office and in Germany and Britain in the late 1800s to develop brain damage tests. Galton pioneered experimental psychology in the 19th century by measuring reaction time and other factors. Tests are now pervasive in schools, workplaces, and medical settings for counseling, selection and placement, though they can also be misused or rely on invalid measures.

Uploaded by

Danilo Siquig Jr.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Foundations of Psychological

Measurement
PSYCHOMETRIC THEORY
“Whatever exists at all, exists in some
amount.” (Thorndike, 1918)

Much of psychometric theory is merely an


extension, an elaboration of the concepts of
relationship of variables, covariance between and
among variables such as collinearity,
multicollinearity in regression analysis.
Glimpse of the History of Psychological Testing
- From timid beginning to BIG business

 Origin of psychological testing helps explain


current practices
 Ex. Intelligence tests have always included
measure of digit span or short term
memory for digits
 Original purpose of intelligence tests was
to predict school failure – developed in
Paris, France at the turn of the 20th
century.
Early testing in China – 2,200 BC … 1370 AD
 Fitness for office – eligibility for public office
 Tests on civil law, military affairs, agriculture,
geography
 Proficiency in the Confucian classics
 Composing essays on assigned topic

Late 1800s
 Germany & Great Britain developed test battery for
brain damage
 Wundt, Galton, Cattell showed that it was possible
to expose mind to scientific scrutiny &
measurement.
Galton as the Father of mental testing
 Measure intellect by means of reaction time
 Devised techniques for measuring ex. beauty,
personality, boringness of teachers, efficacy of
prayers
 Problems of human evolution (Heredity genius)

Late 1800s
 Germany & Great Britain developed test battery for
brain damage
 Wundt, Galton, Cattell showed that it was possible
to expose mind to scientific scrutiny &
measurement.
Galton (1822 – 1911)
 Sensory and motor measure
 Pioneered experimental psychology – 19th century
Great Britain

Cattel (1860 – 1944)


 Mental tests and measurement

TEST IS PERVASIVE
 In school setting, civil service, industry, medical
clinics, counseling centers
USES
 Counseling, selection, placement
 For ACCREDITATION nowadays

ABUSES
Examples:
 Unacceptable decisions
 Not valid and reliable tests
Consequence of Test Results (True Case History)
 Shy, withdrawn 7-yr old girl took an IQ test
 Three children exposed to lead dust of the company
– impaired intelligence & neurological damage
 Candidate Police officer took personality test
 Student unsure of what career to pursue was
administered vocational interest inventory
 Applicant to graduate school required to take MMPI
Analyzing the Meaning of Tests
 Tests are composite of items
 Tests relate to other tests

A deep appreciation of the basic Pearson


correlation coefficient facilitates an
understanding of its generalization to
multiple and partial correlation, to factor
analysis, to questions of validity
Ex. IQ deficit theory reflect a theoretical
stance that suggests the problem is either
“in the child” or in the cultural group for
which the child comes.

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