PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING AND
ASSESSMENT WITH VALIDATED RESPONSES
🔘Assumptions about psychological testing - Answer: 1) psychological states and traits exist,
2) they can be quantified and measured, 3) test-related behaviour predicts non test-related
behaviour, 4) tests and other measurement techniques have strengths and weaknesses, 5)
various sources of error are part of the assessment process, 6) testing and assessment can be
conducted in a fair and unbiased manner, 7) it can benefit society
🔘Trait - Answer: any distinguishable, relatively enduring way in which one individual varies
from another
🔘androgynous - Answer: absence of primacy of male or female characteristics
🔘States - Answer: also distinguishes one person from another but are less enduring
🔘Construct - Answer: an informed scientific concept developed to describe or explain
behaviour; psychological traits believed to be constructs rather than active circuit in the brain
🔘Culture - Answer: the socially transmitted behaviour patterns, beliefs and products of work
of a particular population, community or group of people; culture is taught to us by parents,
peers and societal institutions to determine our patterns of thought and behaviour
🔘Culture-specific tests - Answer: tests designed for use with people from one culture, but
not from another; originally personality tests were designed to be culture-specific (they were
only tested on white Americans) but were then being used to assess intelligence cross-
racially. Resultantly, test-takers from minority cultures scored lower, and were assumed to be
less intelligent
🔘psychoanalysis - Answer: theory of personality and psychological treatment developed by
Sigmund Freud, symbolic significance is assigned to many nonverbal acts
🔘Individualist culture-specific - Answer: characterised by value being place on traits like
self-reliance, autonomy, independence, uniqueness and competitiveness (typically Western)
🔘Collectivist culture - Answer: value is placed on traits such as conformity, cooperation,
interdependence and striving towards group goals (typically Eastern)
🔘Overt behaviour - Answer: an observable action or product of an observable action,
, including test- or assessment-related responses; context in which behaviour occurs plays a
role in aiding the appropriate trait terms for the observable behaviour
🔘What does testing and assessment involve? - Answer: administering, scoring and
interpreting psychology tests while assessment involves more problem solving which can
take different forms and use many types of testing
🔘difference between testing and assessment - Answer: testing is less personal and more
technician-like while assessment is more personal and requires an educated selection of tools
to fit the individual scenario
🔘Process of assessment - Answer: 1) referral, 2) pre-assessment meeting, 3) choosing
relevant tests, 4) formal assessment, 5) report findings, 6) potential follow-up
assessments/meetings
🔘Collaborative psychological assessment - Answer: assessor and assessed work as partners
from initial contact through to feedback
🔘Therapeutic psychological assessment - Answer: self-discovery and new understandings
are encouraged during the assessment
🔘Dynamic assessment - Answer: interactive approach to psych assessment that follows the
model: (1) evaluation (2) intervention (3) evaluation. Mostly employed in educational
settings. Additionally: correctional, corporate, neuro-psychological or clinical
🔘Psychological test - Answer: a measuring device or procedure designed to measure
variables related to psychology (e.g. Intelligence, aptitude, personality, values), analysis of a
sample of behaviour
🔘Content - Answer: subject matter of the test
🔘Format - Answer: form, plan, structure, arrangement and layout of test items as well as to
related considerations such as time limit. Or form in which test is administered (e.g.
Computerised, pencil-and-paper)
🔘Tests differ in administration procedures - Answer: may involve demonstrations of tasks,
require active knowledge, be administered on a one-to-one basis, not even require the
presence of the administrator
🔘Score - Answer: a code or summary statement, not necessarily in numerical form, that
reflects an evaluation of performance on a test
ASSESSMENT WITH VALIDATED RESPONSES
🔘Assumptions about psychological testing - Answer: 1) psychological states and traits exist,
2) they can be quantified and measured, 3) test-related behaviour predicts non test-related
behaviour, 4) tests and other measurement techniques have strengths and weaknesses, 5)
various sources of error are part of the assessment process, 6) testing and assessment can be
conducted in a fair and unbiased manner, 7) it can benefit society
🔘Trait - Answer: any distinguishable, relatively enduring way in which one individual varies
from another
🔘androgynous - Answer: absence of primacy of male or female characteristics
🔘States - Answer: also distinguishes one person from another but are less enduring
🔘Construct - Answer: an informed scientific concept developed to describe or explain
behaviour; psychological traits believed to be constructs rather than active circuit in the brain
🔘Culture - Answer: the socially transmitted behaviour patterns, beliefs and products of work
of a particular population, community or group of people; culture is taught to us by parents,
peers and societal institutions to determine our patterns of thought and behaviour
🔘Culture-specific tests - Answer: tests designed for use with people from one culture, but
not from another; originally personality tests were designed to be culture-specific (they were
only tested on white Americans) but were then being used to assess intelligence cross-
racially. Resultantly, test-takers from minority cultures scored lower, and were assumed to be
less intelligent
🔘psychoanalysis - Answer: theory of personality and psychological treatment developed by
Sigmund Freud, symbolic significance is assigned to many nonverbal acts
🔘Individualist culture-specific - Answer: characterised by value being place on traits like
self-reliance, autonomy, independence, uniqueness and competitiveness (typically Western)
🔘Collectivist culture - Answer: value is placed on traits such as conformity, cooperation,
interdependence and striving towards group goals (typically Eastern)
🔘Overt behaviour - Answer: an observable action or product of an observable action,
, including test- or assessment-related responses; context in which behaviour occurs plays a
role in aiding the appropriate trait terms for the observable behaviour
🔘What does testing and assessment involve? - Answer: administering, scoring and
interpreting psychology tests while assessment involves more problem solving which can
take different forms and use many types of testing
🔘difference between testing and assessment - Answer: testing is less personal and more
technician-like while assessment is more personal and requires an educated selection of tools
to fit the individual scenario
🔘Process of assessment - Answer: 1) referral, 2) pre-assessment meeting, 3) choosing
relevant tests, 4) formal assessment, 5) report findings, 6) potential follow-up
assessments/meetings
🔘Collaborative psychological assessment - Answer: assessor and assessed work as partners
from initial contact through to feedback
🔘Therapeutic psychological assessment - Answer: self-discovery and new understandings
are encouraged during the assessment
🔘Dynamic assessment - Answer: interactive approach to psych assessment that follows the
model: (1) evaluation (2) intervention (3) evaluation. Mostly employed in educational
settings. Additionally: correctional, corporate, neuro-psychological or clinical
🔘Psychological test - Answer: a measuring device or procedure designed to measure
variables related to psychology (e.g. Intelligence, aptitude, personality, values), analysis of a
sample of behaviour
🔘Content - Answer: subject matter of the test
🔘Format - Answer: form, plan, structure, arrangement and layout of test items as well as to
related considerations such as time limit. Or form in which test is administered (e.g.
Computerised, pencil-and-paper)
🔘Tests differ in administration procedures - Answer: may involve demonstrations of tasks,
require active knowledge, be administered on a one-to-one basis, not even require the
presence of the administrator
🔘Score - Answer: a code or summary statement, not necessarily in numerical form, that
reflects an evaluation of performance on a test
