Comprehensive Test Bank:
Psychological Testing: Principles,
Applications, and Issues (9th Edition)
by Kaplan & Saccuzzo –Questions
with Answers and Rationales
Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychological Testing
1. According to recent research, growing numbers of four-
year colleges are not relying on the SAT test partly because of
a. budget constraints.
b. diversity concerns.
c. reliability issues.
d. quality control.
Answer: b. diversity concerns.
Rationale: Research by Espenshade & Chung (2010) and Jaschik
(2006) indicates that colleges have moved away from SAT
requirements partly due to concerns that standardized tests may
disadvantage certain demographic groups and limit diversity in
admissions .
,2. Psychological tests
a. pertain only to overt behavior.
b. always have right or wrong answers.
c. do not attempt to measure traits.
d. measure characteristics of human behavior.
Answer: d. measure characteristics of human behavior.
Rationale: Psychological tests are designed to measure various
characteristics of human behavior, including both overt (observable)
and covert (unobservable) behaviors, traits, and attributes .
3. The specific stimulus on a test to which a person responds
overtly is called a(n)
a. overt event.
b. answer.
c. item.
d. scale.
Answer: c. item.
Rationale: An item is the specific stimulus or question on a test that
elicits a response from the test-taker. Items are the fundamental
building blocks of psychological tests .
4. An individual test
a. involves a single examiner for two or more subjects.
b. involves only tests of human ability.
,c. can only be given to one person at a time.
d. involves more than one examiner for a single subject.
Answer: c. can only be given to one person at a time.
Rationale: Individual tests require one examiner to administer the
test to a single test-taker, allowing for personalized interaction and
observation .
5. A group test
a. can be given to multiple people by one examiner.
b. can only be given to three people at a time.
c. involves a group of examiners for a single subject.
d. involves only tests of human ability.
Answer: a. can be given to multiple people by one examiner.
Rationale: Group tests allow one examiner to administer the test to
multiple individuals simultaneously, making them efficient for
large-scale testing .
6. Previous learning can best be described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
, Answer: a. achievement.
Rationale: Achievement refers to what a person has already learned
or accomplished through prior experience and education .
7. The potential for learning a specific skill can best be
described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
Answer: b. aptitude.
Rationale: Aptitude refers to a person's potential or capacity to
learn a specific skill or acquire knowledge in a particular area .
8. One's general potential, independent of prior learning, can
best be described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
Answer: c. intelligence.
Rationale: Intelligence represents a person's general cognitive
potential to solve problems, adapt, think abstractly, and profit from
experience, regardless of specific prior learning .
Psychological Testing: Principles,
Applications, and Issues (9th Edition)
by Kaplan & Saccuzzo –Questions
with Answers and Rationales
Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychological Testing
1. According to recent research, growing numbers of four-
year colleges are not relying on the SAT test partly because of
a. budget constraints.
b. diversity concerns.
c. reliability issues.
d. quality control.
Answer: b. diversity concerns.
Rationale: Research by Espenshade & Chung (2010) and Jaschik
(2006) indicates that colleges have moved away from SAT
requirements partly due to concerns that standardized tests may
disadvantage certain demographic groups and limit diversity in
admissions .
,2. Psychological tests
a. pertain only to overt behavior.
b. always have right or wrong answers.
c. do not attempt to measure traits.
d. measure characteristics of human behavior.
Answer: d. measure characteristics of human behavior.
Rationale: Psychological tests are designed to measure various
characteristics of human behavior, including both overt (observable)
and covert (unobservable) behaviors, traits, and attributes .
3. The specific stimulus on a test to which a person responds
overtly is called a(n)
a. overt event.
b. answer.
c. item.
d. scale.
Answer: c. item.
Rationale: An item is the specific stimulus or question on a test that
elicits a response from the test-taker. Items are the fundamental
building blocks of psychological tests .
4. An individual test
a. involves a single examiner for two or more subjects.
b. involves only tests of human ability.
,c. can only be given to one person at a time.
d. involves more than one examiner for a single subject.
Answer: c. can only be given to one person at a time.
Rationale: Individual tests require one examiner to administer the
test to a single test-taker, allowing for personalized interaction and
observation .
5. A group test
a. can be given to multiple people by one examiner.
b. can only be given to three people at a time.
c. involves a group of examiners for a single subject.
d. involves only tests of human ability.
Answer: a. can be given to multiple people by one examiner.
Rationale: Group tests allow one examiner to administer the test to
multiple individuals simultaneously, making them efficient for
large-scale testing .
6. Previous learning can best be described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
, Answer: a. achievement.
Rationale: Achievement refers to what a person has already learned
or accomplished through prior experience and education .
7. The potential for learning a specific skill can best be
described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
Answer: b. aptitude.
Rationale: Aptitude refers to a person's potential or capacity to
learn a specific skill or acquire knowledge in a particular area .
8. One's general potential, independent of prior learning, can
best be described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
Answer: c. intelligence.
Rationale: Intelligence represents a person's general cognitive
potential to solve problems, adapt, think abstractly, and profit from
experience, regardless of specific prior learning .
