PSY 370 PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS EXAM
1QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is a test? - Answers - a measurement tool or technique that requires a person to
perform one or more behaviors in order to make inferences about human attributes
-they can differ in terms of behavior required to perform, what they measure, their
content, how they are administered and formatted, how they are scored and interpreted,
and psychometric quality
Why are tests important? - Answers - -Individual differences (variances among people)
-unobservable characteristics (e.g., personality->behaviors)
-need to make decisions about people: limited resources; appropriateness of
treatments/interventions (e.g., how depressed are you?)
-contexts: school, work, mental health, relationships, etc
Good measurements are: - Answers - consistent, fair
What is a abstract construct VS concrete constructs? - Answers - CONCRETE
constructs: Behaviors-actions that are observable and measurable
Abstract constructs: underlying attributes that exist in our imaginations (e.g.,
intelligence, beauty, love)
How do we measure abstract constructs? - Answers - -we observe and measure
behaviors that show evidence of these constructs
-the presence of contracts like beauty and make predictions about behaviors related to
them
What is a construct? - Answers - constructs are different from variables (observable
things like lever presses or number of math questions answered correctly)
-variables can be counted directly
-we are often interested in variables in and of themselves
-but we don't need tests to measure variables!
e.g., BIG FIVE traits (personality are constructs)
-need to ask yourself: Can I directly measure it?
-both constructs and variables are attributes in which people vary
-if theres no variance theres nothing to measure
Measuring constructs: - Answers - A construct:
-cannot be observed directly
-implies something more than just a response
-heart rate is a variable, anxiety is a construct
,What is construct explication? - Answers - Three steps for defining or explaining a
psychological construct
1. identify the behaviors that relate to the contract
2. identify other constructs that may be related to the construct being explained
3. identify behaviors related to similar constructs, and determine whether these
behaviors are related to the original construct
What is the difference between a state and a trait? - Answers - Temporary condition vs
situational circumstances
Ex: Anger
(temporary anger-state)
(angry temperament and reaction (trait anger)
What is measurement theory? - Answers - is what allows us to support our inferences
about constructs based on item responses (behaviors, self report, etc)
-How can we justify saying these responses to these items really indicate a particular
construct?
What are the different kinds of constructs? - Answers - -acheivement
-aptitude
-intelligence
-interests
-personality
-knowledge
-skill
-attitude
-sensorimotor
-state (mood)
-perceptions
What is a nomological network? - Answers - a method for defining a construct by
illustrating its relation to as many other constructs and behaviors as possible
What does it mean to be unidimensional? - Answers - all behaviors that are part of the
contract go together
-everyone fits neatly on a continuum from low to high
Not at all----------------Very much
What does it mean to be multidimensional? - Answers - -the contract has multiple
components, or might be expressed in multiple ways
-possible to be high in one dimension but low in another
-but all the dimensions are conceptually related and necessary
-still just one coherent construct
, What are the defining characteristics of psychological tests? - Answers - 1. All good
tests representatively sample the behaviors thought to measure an attribute or thought
to predict an outcome
2. All good tests include behavior samples that are obtained under standardized
conditions
-tests must be administered the same way to all people
Scores can be affected by:
-related to the environment (room temp)
-the examiner(how instructions are read)
-the examinee(illness, fatigue)
-test(understandability of questions)
3. All good tests have rules for coding: rules ensure that examiners will score the same
set of responses in the same way
When do we use tests? - Answers - In education
-assess student learning
-identify eligibility for programs (e.g., gifted special assistance)
-make admission decisions(SAT, GRE, ACT)
In clinical settings
-diagnose disorders
-understand personality
-determine competence
-identify warning signs of neurological damage
-evaluate treatment programs
-facilitate communication with clients (insight for the client as well as therapist)
In organizational settings
-make selection decisions
-identify training and development needs
-evaluate training programs and other company initiatives
-evaluate performance
-measure customer satisfaction
-understand employee attitudes and company culture
Assumptions of Psychological Testing: - Answers - 1. Psychological tests measure what
they propose to measure or predict what they are intended to predict
-Validity=evidence our test scores mean what we think they mean
-tests make appropriate accurate inferences
2. An individuals test score will remain (relatively) stable when the attribute is stable,
and change when the attribute changes
AKA: Test-Retest reliability: if a test is administered at a specific point in time and then
we administer it again at a different point in time, we must assume depending on who
we are measuring, that an individual will receive a similar score at both points in time.
BUT mood, not so much...
3. Individuals understand the test items the same way
1QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is a test? - Answers - a measurement tool or technique that requires a person to
perform one or more behaviors in order to make inferences about human attributes
-they can differ in terms of behavior required to perform, what they measure, their
content, how they are administered and formatted, how they are scored and interpreted,
and psychometric quality
Why are tests important? - Answers - -Individual differences (variances among people)
-unobservable characteristics (e.g., personality->behaviors)
-need to make decisions about people: limited resources; appropriateness of
treatments/interventions (e.g., how depressed are you?)
-contexts: school, work, mental health, relationships, etc
Good measurements are: - Answers - consistent, fair
What is a abstract construct VS concrete constructs? - Answers - CONCRETE
constructs: Behaviors-actions that are observable and measurable
Abstract constructs: underlying attributes that exist in our imaginations (e.g.,
intelligence, beauty, love)
How do we measure abstract constructs? - Answers - -we observe and measure
behaviors that show evidence of these constructs
-the presence of contracts like beauty and make predictions about behaviors related to
them
What is a construct? - Answers - constructs are different from variables (observable
things like lever presses or number of math questions answered correctly)
-variables can be counted directly
-we are often interested in variables in and of themselves
-but we don't need tests to measure variables!
e.g., BIG FIVE traits (personality are constructs)
-need to ask yourself: Can I directly measure it?
-both constructs and variables are attributes in which people vary
-if theres no variance theres nothing to measure
Measuring constructs: - Answers - A construct:
-cannot be observed directly
-implies something more than just a response
-heart rate is a variable, anxiety is a construct
,What is construct explication? - Answers - Three steps for defining or explaining a
psychological construct
1. identify the behaviors that relate to the contract
2. identify other constructs that may be related to the construct being explained
3. identify behaviors related to similar constructs, and determine whether these
behaviors are related to the original construct
What is the difference between a state and a trait? - Answers - Temporary condition vs
situational circumstances
Ex: Anger
(temporary anger-state)
(angry temperament and reaction (trait anger)
What is measurement theory? - Answers - is what allows us to support our inferences
about constructs based on item responses (behaviors, self report, etc)
-How can we justify saying these responses to these items really indicate a particular
construct?
What are the different kinds of constructs? - Answers - -acheivement
-aptitude
-intelligence
-interests
-personality
-knowledge
-skill
-attitude
-sensorimotor
-state (mood)
-perceptions
What is a nomological network? - Answers - a method for defining a construct by
illustrating its relation to as many other constructs and behaviors as possible
What does it mean to be unidimensional? - Answers - all behaviors that are part of the
contract go together
-everyone fits neatly on a continuum from low to high
Not at all----------------Very much
What does it mean to be multidimensional? - Answers - -the contract has multiple
components, or might be expressed in multiple ways
-possible to be high in one dimension but low in another
-but all the dimensions are conceptually related and necessary
-still just one coherent construct
, What are the defining characteristics of psychological tests? - Answers - 1. All good
tests representatively sample the behaviors thought to measure an attribute or thought
to predict an outcome
2. All good tests include behavior samples that are obtained under standardized
conditions
-tests must be administered the same way to all people
Scores can be affected by:
-related to the environment (room temp)
-the examiner(how instructions are read)
-the examinee(illness, fatigue)
-test(understandability of questions)
3. All good tests have rules for coding: rules ensure that examiners will score the same
set of responses in the same way
When do we use tests? - Answers - In education
-assess student learning
-identify eligibility for programs (e.g., gifted special assistance)
-make admission decisions(SAT, GRE, ACT)
In clinical settings
-diagnose disorders
-understand personality
-determine competence
-identify warning signs of neurological damage
-evaluate treatment programs
-facilitate communication with clients (insight for the client as well as therapist)
In organizational settings
-make selection decisions
-identify training and development needs
-evaluate training programs and other company initiatives
-evaluate performance
-measure customer satisfaction
-understand employee attitudes and company culture
Assumptions of Psychological Testing: - Answers - 1. Psychological tests measure what
they propose to measure or predict what they are intended to predict
-Validity=evidence our test scores mean what we think they mean
-tests make appropriate accurate inferences
2. An individuals test score will remain (relatively) stable when the attribute is stable,
and change when the attribute changes
AKA: Test-Retest reliability: if a test is administered at a specific point in time and then
we administer it again at a different point in time, we must assume depending on who
we are measuring, that an individual will receive a similar score at both points in time.
BUT mood, not so much...
3. Individuals understand the test items the same way
