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Lecture 1 - Intro To Psychological Testing

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28 views

Lecture 1 - Intro To Psychological Testing

Uploaded by

hadi abdul
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Psychological Testing

Definition of Terms

 Measurement: the process of assigning numbers


 Evaluation: the process of determining worth of something based
on numbers
 Assessment: the process of gathering information
 Testing: quantifying behavior by using a test (items, questions
that make up a test)
 Test: a tool used to quantify behavior (e.g. personality, spelling,
ability, and interest test)
Psychological Assessment

 A psychological assessment is gathering information to evaluate a


person’s behavior, character, strengths, and needs for the purpose
of diagnosing, setting goals, and recommending treatment,
 A general approach that utilizes various sources of data (portfolio,
interviews, observations, etc in addition to a test) to make
decisions
 Combines both qualitative (subjective )and quantitative
(objective) approach
 Individualized and comprehensive
Tools of psychological
assessment
 Test
 Portfolio
 Case history data
 Observation
 Role play
 Technology (EEG, etc)
 Interviews
Psychological test

 A psychological test is used to measure an individual’s different


abilities, such as their aptitude in a particular field, cognitive
functions like memory and spatial recognition, or even traits like
introvertedness.
 These tests are based on scientifically tested psychological
theories.
 It contains a set of items designed to measure characteristics of
human behavior
 Overt behavior: observable action
 Covert behavior: takes place inside a person (cannot be directly
measured)
Psychological Test

 A psychological test is a standardized measure of a sample of a


person’s behavior that is used to measure the individual
differences that exist among people.
 A psychological test is an objective and standardized measure of
an individual's mental and/or behavioral characteristics.
 The main purpose of psychological testing is to gain a better
understanding of a person and her/his behavior.
Cont..

 A psychological test is a systematic procedure for observing a


person’s behavior or performance, describing it with the aid of a
numerical scale or category system.
 Mostly tests are used as a way of measuring differences between
people or differences in the same person over time.
Psychological testing

 Psychological testing is a field characterized by the use of


samples of behavior, most often administered as a series of items
in which the individual must give a response, in order to assess
psychological construct(s), such as ability, cognitive and
emotional functioning, or personality.
 Psychological testing is not one single test, but a series of
scientifically developed tests and procedures that assess various
aspects of a person’s psychological functioning
Psychological tests are used to assess many areas, including:

 Traits such as introversion and extroversion


 Certain conditions such as depression and anxiety
 Intelligence, aptitude and achievement such as verbal intelligence
and reading achievement
 Attitudes and feelings such as how individuals feel about the
treatment that they received from their therapists
 Interests such as the careers and activities that a person is
interested in
 Specific abilities, knowledge or skills such as cognitive ability,
memory and problem-solving skills
Goals of psychological testing

• The goals of psychological assessment are to


• better understand a person’s strengths and weaknesses
• identify potential problems with cognitions, emotional reactivity
• make recommendations for treatment/remediation
• All types of psychological evaluations measure an individual’s
functioning at a specific point in time and provide a
“snapshot” of a person.
 Almost all psychological testing is administered by a licensed
psychologist (or trainee) and is a formal process that requires
extensive training and expertise. Psychologists are the only
professionals that are expertly trained in administering and
interpreting psychological tests.
Function of Psychological
Testing
 Decision making: psychological tests can be used determining
promotion etc
 Placement: place students and workers to different categories
(based on tests scores)
 Administrative function
 Diagnosis: identifying psychological problems, learning
difficulties, etc.
 Research: using psychological tests for research purpose
 Self-understanding and personal development
Participants in the Testing Process

 Developers
 Publishers
 Reviewers
 Users
 Examiners
 Takers
 Scorers
 Interpreters
Psychological Assessment and
Testing
 Tests and assessments are two separate but related components of
a psychological evaluation. Psychologists use both types of tools
to help them arrive at a diagnosis and a treatment plan.
 Testing involves the use of formal tests such as questionnaires or
checklists. These are often described as “norm-referenced” tests.
That simply means the tests have been standardized so that test-
takers are evaluated in a similar way, no matter where they live or
who administers the test.
Cont..

 A psychological assessment can include numerous components


such as norm-referenced psychological tests, informal tests and
surveys, interview information, school or medical records,
medical evaluation and observational data.
 A psychologist determines what information to use based on the
specific questions being asked.
 For example, assessments can be used to determine if a person has a
learning disorder, is competent to stand trial or has a traumatic brain
injury. They can also be used to determine if a person would be a
good manager or how well they may work with a team.
 One common assessment technique is a clinical interview.
Psychological Assessment versus Psychological
Testing

 Degree of complexity
 Duration
 Data sources
 Focus
 Qualifications for use
 Procedural basis
 Cost
 Purpose
 Degree of structure
 Evaluation of results
THANKYOU!

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