PYC4807 Assignment 3 PORTFOLIO (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2025 (185521)- DUE 25 September 2025

SECTION 1: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN REAL-LIFE CONTEXTS (20 marks) • You need to select ONE of the three contexts (developmental, educational, or organisational) in your everyday life in which psychological testing is done. • You will describe the testing done in this context by answering the questions below. Please do not just provide a theoretical discussion from the textbook - you need to share your observations, experiences, and thoughts based on actual exposure to the context, be it in person, through conversation with specialists in the context, etcetera. • NOTE that you are NOT allowed to administer tests. • The maximum length is 3 pages. Three applied contexts of testing are covered in this module, namely 1) developmental assessment and assessment of learning problems of infants, pre-school and primary school children; 2) assessment in an educational context for career counselling; 3) and assessment in organisational contexts. We want you to explore how psychological testing is done in these contexts in everyday life. Below are some ideas. Note that you must have an in-depth theoretical understanding of assessment in the context you explore before gaining exposure to this context. Your sources of information must be able to provide valid information on psychological assessment. Developmental Educational/Career counselling Organisational You, a friend, or a family member may have a child in primary school. What happens in this context if a child has learning difficulties? Perhaps the school makes use of the services of an educational psychologist. If the school and/or the parents do not have the resources to do so, there might be efforts to have additional classes to assist the children who are struggling with their schoolwork. This highlights the issue of the availability of assessment services to South African communities. Note that your answers should focus on the use of psychological assessment measures in this context. If you or someone you know has a child who must make subject choices in Grade 9, the school may inform parents of the availability of psychologists who will provide career counselling that involves psychological assessment. You may have contacted the student counselling services at Unisa, or you may work with or know of an organisation that helps employees with assessment for career counselling. Note that your answers should focus on the use of psychological assessment measures in this context. Were you or someone you know tested when applying for a job? If so, what was this experience like? Perhaps you work in a context where testing is done for high-risk jobs. Note that your answers should focus on the use of psychological assessment measures in this context. Please note that your answers should focus on psychological assessment per se and reflect a thorough understanding of the syllabus covered in this module. No formal research needs to be undertaken. Nevertheless, you need to adhere to ethical practices, such as informing people that 6 you will be reporting information in your assignment, requesting consent to do so, and ensuring confidentiality – no names of organisations, institutions, or individuals should be used in your assignment. If you use pseudonyms, indicate that these are not the real names. NUMBER YOUR ANSWERS CORRECTLY Question 1 (3 marks) a) Identify the context you selected. (1) b) Briefly describe the real-life situation you explored (2) Question 2 (4 marks) a) List the books, articles, webpages, etc. that you used to get information on psychological assessment in this context. Provide sufficient identifying detail (e.g., title and authors of a book or article). Note that this is not the same as your reference list (Section 4), but a source may be included in both. (2) b) Describe other sources of information (e.g., observation, interviews with professionals). Be specific, but do not use identifying information. (2) Question 3 (6 marks) In the real-life situation that you explored: a) Who was tested and what was the reason for testing in this situation? (2) b) Who administered the test/s and are they qualified to do so? Justify your answer. (2) c) How and to whom was feedback given? (2) Question 4 (4 marks) Identify two tests that were administered in the real-life situation that you explored or that would usually be administered in this context: a) Provide the full name of each test. Abbreviations are not acceptable. (2) b) Give a short description of what each of the two tests measures and how these are used in your context. (2) Question 5 (3 marks) Briefly describe a contextual or ethical issue in the real-life situation that you explored that needs to be considered in the administration of tests and the interpretation of results. (3 marks) 2 SECTION 2: CASE STUDY (24 marks) Write an essay on the assessment process in the following case study. The maximum length is 6 pages. Structure and content of the essay You are expected to develop sound judgement on the relevance or irrelevance of information and the appropriate level of abstraction at which the information is to be presented. In other words, PYC4807/103/0/2025 7 you must decide whether, within the framework of a given task, a certain sub-section should be highly detailed or of a more general nature. The page limit is 6 pages. Your discussion should address the topic in each subsection below, and you should avoid detail not directly related to this. • Arrange your material systematically and logically by using the headings given below. Use your own sub-headings (where appropriate). • Start your discussion with an introduction ─ putting the reader “in the picture”. Present your information in a logical way so that the direction in which you are going is clear to the reader. Everything you discuss should be relevant to the assessment process. End the discussion with a conclusion. There should be a direct relationship between your introduction and the conclusion. • Be concise and relevant. Focus on information that is directly relevant to the topic. • You should demonstrate the ability to select appropriate information and indicate that you understand the subject by using your own words. • You must use the textbook and additional sources (articles, dissertations, etc.). • Cite your sources in the essay and include the sources in the reference list in Section 4. • Please proofread your work for typing errors before submitting your portfolio. The case study Financial Frontiers, a small South African financial firm dealing with business bookkeeping and tax-related issues, has a vacancy for an accountant. The job entails gathering information from clients, organising this information, performing the necessary calculations to determine their taxes, and providing annual financial reports. The firm’s Human Resources manager, an industrial psychologist, is responsible for recruiting and selecting a suitable candidate. Applicants must meet certain criteria in terms of their qualifications and previous work experience, and they must also submit a letter of recommendation attesting to their integrity. The organisation also interviews the applicants. In addition, three psychological tests are administered to determine if the applicants meet pre-determined requirements in terms of aptitude, interest and personality. The tests used are the Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test (LPCAT), the South African Career Interest Inventory (SACII) and the Basic Traits Inventory (BTI). The following matrix is used for the accountant position. Measurement constructs* Requirement Cognitive ability Aptitude Personality Integrity Emotional intelligence Behaviour Interest 1. Numerical aptitude X 2. Analytical and strategic thinking X X 3. Detail conscious X 4. Verbal aptitude X 5. Interpersonal skills X 6. Conscientiousness X 7. Emotional stability X 8. Conventional X *The test-related constructs are marked with a cross. The other constructs are covered by background information and interviews. 8 Instructions Write a six-page essay on the assessment process that the psychologist would follow. Follow the guidelines for the outline and content of this essay as given below. You need to find relevant literature to address all the topics. Cite your sources in the essay and include the sources in the reference list in Section 4. USE THE HEADINGS THAT ARE PROVIDED 1. Introduction Provide a summary of what you will discuss in your essay. 2. Reason/rationale for testing in an organisational context (5 marks) Refer to your study material and explain the input-based approach to testing that is used in the case of personnel selection. Briefly describe how a competency matrix is developed and how this matrix is used to compile a test battery. 3. Context of the assessment (3 marks) Consider the matrix used for the accountant position. Identify the relevant aptitudes, personality traits and interests, and in each instance explain why these characteristics are important for an accountant’s job. 4. Compiling a test battery (12 marks) Critically discuss the appropriateness of each of the three measures administered by the industrial psychologist (i.e., the LPCAT, the SACII, and the BTI) in this context. Please note that you must search for sources in addition to the textbook to be able to address the following issues comprehensively. As a Unisa student, you have access to subject journals, dissertations, theses, etcetera on the library site For each test: • State the aim of the measure and indicate which constructs it measures. Do not, for example, just say aptitude/s but indicate which aptitude/s. • Is the test suitable given the requirements in the matrix? • Describe the norm group of the measure (i.e., for whom the test has been standardised). • Mention any research or other information available on the use of the test in a multicultural context, such as South Africa. 5. Administration, ethical considerations, and interpretation of results (4 marks) In this context, the tests may be administered to an individual or a group. Name four ways in which cheating can be minimised during group assessment and four ways in which control can be exercised over groups. 6. Conclusion End the discussion with a brief conclusion on the essay you have written. PYC4807/103/0/2025 9 3 SECTION 3: QUESTIONS ON THEORETICAL AND APPLIED KNOWLEDGE (48 marks) You will use the information contained in the essay you completed in Section 2 regarding the case study provided there to answer some of the following questions. The maximum length is 1 to 1 and a ½ page per question. Question 1 (8 marks) Critically discuss the reliability of the Basic Traits Inventory (BTI). a) Identify the type of reliability that was calculated for the BTI and briefly describe this type of reliability and how it is usually determined. (3) b) Discuss the findings of the research on the reliability of the BTI. Refer to the values of the reliability coefficients and whether these values are acceptable given that it is a personality questionnaire. What are the conclusions based on these findings? (4) c) Comment on the cross-cultural reliability of the test. (1) You need to show that you can apply the theory (i.e., not just copy facts). You are expected to search for relevant articles to answer the question. No marks will be given if you do not provide in-text references for your sources of information and include them in the reference list. Question 2 (8 marks) Critically discuss the validity of the Basic Traits Inventory (BTI). a) Identify the type of validity that was calculated for the BTI and briefly describe this type of validity and how it is usually determined. (3) b) Discuss the findings of the research on the validity of the BTI. Refer to the acceptability of the model fit in terms of the theory. What are the conclusions based on these findings? (4) c) Comment on the cross-cultural validity of the test. (1) You need to show that you can apply the theory (i.e., not just copy facts). You are expected to search for relevant articles to answer the question. No marks will be given if you do not provide in-text references for your sources of information and include them in the reference list. Question 3 (12 marks) Twenty applicants for a leadership programme for secondary school pupils are tested with a battery of tests that include measures of personality, leadership, integrity, etcetera. All the measures are only available in English. However, only six of the applicants have English as their home language, while the home language of the other applicants is isiXhosa. The psychologist asked a colleague who is fluent in English and isiXhosa to act as translator. Will the use of a translator be sufficient to ensure that the measures are not biased against test-takers who do not have English as their home language? Justify your answer with reference to linguistic equivalence and guidelines for dealing with linguistic considerations as discussed in the prescribed book. (12) 10 Question 4 (20 marks) Bongani is 7 years and 2 months old. His teacher complained that he finds it difficult to remain focused for extended periods of time and his behaviour is disruptive in the classroom. He often interrupts the teacher and struggles to wait for his turn. Bongani displays immature social behaviour, is impulsive and often requires adult support to resolve minor conflicts with peers in the same grade. He completed Grade R but still does not know all the letters of the alphabet. This delay in language development impacts on his learning. His older brother and sister do well at school. Bongani’s family is affluent, and both parents have degrees. The family is bilingual. Their home language is isiZulu, and they are fluent in English. He was referred to an educational psychologist who decided to administer the Junior South African Individual Scales (JSAIS) to assess Bongani’s developmental progress. Various factors influence the psychological assessment measures a practitioner chooses. a) Identify and discuss the factors that the educational psychologist had to consider in selecting a suitable test in this context. Your answer should refer to the aim of testing as well as Bongani’s developmental and other concerns, his age, language proficiency, cultural and socio-economic background, emotional development and any other contextual factors that you deem relevant. (10) b) Critically discuss the appropriateness of the JSAIS, given these factors. (10) 4 SECTION 4: REFERENCING AND PLAGIARISM (8 marks) In this section, you will submit the reference list for the references that you used in Sections 1, 2 and 3. Use the APA 7th edition guidelines. You will also include the signed and dated plagiarism declaration. The maximum length is 2 pages. Each student must write and submit his/her own individual assignment. In other words, you must submit your own ideas in your own words, sometimes interspersing relevant short quotations using quotation marks. You should use references throughout. Note that even if you provide a reference, you need to use your own words (unless you use a direct quotation with quotation marks and provide the relevant page number). 4.1 Reference list (6 marks) Include the references that you used in Sections 1, 2 and 3 here: • You may use any appropriate resource material, but you MUST use the textbook and the tutorial letters. • Cite the relevant chapter in the case of the prescribed book. • Present your work according to the APA 7th edition guidelines. • The in-text references and the reference list should correspond. Do not include references that you did not personally consult (except where the original source is not available, and you cite this as a secondary source). • You must provide the URL/Doi where relevant for your references, AND include the date that you extracted the article, dissertation, etcetera.