PSYCHOMETRICS BOARD EXAM (Example Questions and Memo)
Example Questions:
1. Industrial Psychologists know that in terms of the Employment Equity Act (Act 55
of 1998) when a test or assessment is used it is crucial that it should be valid. In
this context:
a. Define the concept “validity of a psychological measure”.
b. Discuss the different types of validity of psychological measures. (Long
Question)
c. Discuss the factors that may affect the validity coefficient of a measuring
instrument.
2. What is a standard score and give one example.
3. Fill in the blanks: SEm is directly related to the reliability of a test; that is, the ...
(smaller/larger) the SEm, the ... (lower/higher) the ... (validity/reliability) of the test
and the less precision there is in the measures taken and scores obtained. 1 SEm
either side of the obtained score is called the ... (45%68%) confidence interval
and ... (1/2) SEm either side of the obtained score is called the 95% confidence
interval.
4. Fill in the blanks: The ………. (reliability/validity) of a test places an upper limit on
its validity.
5. A CEO expressed concern about a candidate‟s demonstrated ability to use
numbers to estimate trends and make decisions based on such data (see
below). The CEO asks you to disclose the test items to him so that he can get a
more concrete idea of what was assessed. How would you respond to this
request? What factors would you weigh up in your mind to help you to formulate
your response?
6. Differential item functioning (DIF) occurs when people........
7. What is; a.) Meta-analysis
b.) Transportability of validity
c.) Validity generalization
8. What are the benefits of CAT (Computerised Adaptive Testing) and name one
example of a CAT in use
9. Administering a web-based psychological test must be be supervised by a
registered professional. Motivate your answer.
10. Assessees have rights in assessment settings, but also have six responsibilities.
Describe these briefly.
11. What are the critical aspects you must consider when setting up a practice
12. Tina is a newly registered psychometrist (INDEPENDENT PRACTICE) she is currently
advertising her professional services in assisting students in attaining better self-
knowledge and self-actualization for making better career decisions. She uses
, various Interest Inventories, Personality Questionnaire‟s and Horoscope Readings
to assist these students. BRIEFLY COMMENT.
13. Comment on the use of online assessment tools in recruitment
14. ______ Validity is a measure, which refers to the extent to which a test score is
related to some measure of job performance.
15. If scores on the first administration are similar to scores on the second
administration, the test is said to have __________.
16. In general, the longer the test, the higher its ___________.
17. Aptitude and achievement tests are examples of _______ (Maximal/Typical)
Performance tests.
18. If we use the weight of an infant to predict the subsequent performance of the
infant in college, the weight measure is probably ____ (reliable/not reliable) and
_____ (valid/not valid).
MEMO
Question 1:
(i) Validity of a measure concerns what the test measures and how well it does so.
(ii) Types of Validity:
Content or descriptive procedures:
o Face Validity: (non-psychometric or statistical): it refers to what the test
appears to measure, it refers to whether the test looks valid to test takers
who have to undergo testing for a specific purpose.
o Content validity: involves determining whether the content of the
measure covers a representative sample of the behaviour domain/aspect
to be measured.
Construct Identification procedures;
o Construct validity: is the extent to which it measures the theoretical
construct or trait it is supposed to measure
o Methods:
Correlation with other tests: with older similar tests, correlation
should be moderately high otherwise the measure is a duplicate of
the older one
Factorial Validity: Factor analysis (statistical technique) for
analyzing the interrelationships of variables. To determine
underlying structure. The factorial validity of a measure thus refers
to the underlying dimensions (factors) tapped by a measure as
determined by a factorial analysis.
Example Questions:
1. Industrial Psychologists know that in terms of the Employment Equity Act (Act 55
of 1998) when a test or assessment is used it is crucial that it should be valid. In
this context:
a. Define the concept “validity of a psychological measure”.
b. Discuss the different types of validity of psychological measures. (Long
Question)
c. Discuss the factors that may affect the validity coefficient of a measuring
instrument.
2. What is a standard score and give one example.
3. Fill in the blanks: SEm is directly related to the reliability of a test; that is, the ...
(smaller/larger) the SEm, the ... (lower/higher) the ... (validity/reliability) of the test
and the less precision there is in the measures taken and scores obtained. 1 SEm
either side of the obtained score is called the ... (45%68%) confidence interval
and ... (1/2) SEm either side of the obtained score is called the 95% confidence
interval.
4. Fill in the blanks: The ………. (reliability/validity) of a test places an upper limit on
its validity.
5. A CEO expressed concern about a candidate‟s demonstrated ability to use
numbers to estimate trends and make decisions based on such data (see
below). The CEO asks you to disclose the test items to him so that he can get a
more concrete idea of what was assessed. How would you respond to this
request? What factors would you weigh up in your mind to help you to formulate
your response?
6. Differential item functioning (DIF) occurs when people........
7. What is; a.) Meta-analysis
b.) Transportability of validity
c.) Validity generalization
8. What are the benefits of CAT (Computerised Adaptive Testing) and name one
example of a CAT in use
9. Administering a web-based psychological test must be be supervised by a
registered professional. Motivate your answer.
10. Assessees have rights in assessment settings, but also have six responsibilities.
Describe these briefly.
11. What are the critical aspects you must consider when setting up a practice
12. Tina is a newly registered psychometrist (INDEPENDENT PRACTICE) she is currently
advertising her professional services in assisting students in attaining better self-
knowledge and self-actualization for making better career decisions. She uses
, various Interest Inventories, Personality Questionnaire‟s and Horoscope Readings
to assist these students. BRIEFLY COMMENT.
13. Comment on the use of online assessment tools in recruitment
14. ______ Validity is a measure, which refers to the extent to which a test score is
related to some measure of job performance.
15. If scores on the first administration are similar to scores on the second
administration, the test is said to have __________.
16. In general, the longer the test, the higher its ___________.
17. Aptitude and achievement tests are examples of _______ (Maximal/Typical)
Performance tests.
18. If we use the weight of an infant to predict the subsequent performance of the
infant in college, the weight measure is probably ____ (reliable/not reliable) and
_____ (valid/not valid).
MEMO
Question 1:
(i) Validity of a measure concerns what the test measures and how well it does so.
(ii) Types of Validity:
Content or descriptive procedures:
o Face Validity: (non-psychometric or statistical): it refers to what the test
appears to measure, it refers to whether the test looks valid to test takers
who have to undergo testing for a specific purpose.
o Content validity: involves determining whether the content of the
measure covers a representative sample of the behaviour domain/aspect
to be measured.
Construct Identification procedures;
o Construct validity: is the extent to which it measures the theoretical
construct or trait it is supposed to measure
o Methods:
Correlation with other tests: with older similar tests, correlation
should be moderately high otherwise the measure is a duplicate of
the older one
Factorial Validity: Factor analysis (statistical technique) for
analyzing the interrelationships of variables. To determine
underlying structure. The factorial validity of a measure thus refers
to the underlying dimensions (factors) tapped by a measure as
determined by a factorial analysis.
