Test Bank for Psychological Testing: Principles,
Applications, and Issues, 8th Edition, Kaplan & Dennis
Chapter 1—Introduction
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. According to a study (Espenshade & Chung, 2010; Jaschik, 2006), 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.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Introduction
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.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
MSC: www
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.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
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.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
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.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
6. Previous learning can best be described as
, a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
MSC: www
7. The potential for learning a specific skill can best be described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
8. One's general potential, independent of prior learning, can best be described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
9. Achievement, aptitude, and intelligence can be encompassed by the term
a. human potential.
b. human traits.
c. human personality.
d. human ability.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
10. Structured personality tests
a. require you to produce something spontaneously.
b. require you to choose between two or more alternative responses.
c. involve an ambiguous test stimulus about which the response is structured..
d. involve an ambiguous test response.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
11. The main purpose of psychological testing is to evaluate
a. covert behavior.
b. individual differences.
c. personality traits.
d. overt behavior.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
12. Projective personality tests
a. provide a statement, usually of the self-report variety.
b. require the subject to choose between two or more alternative responses
c. are unstructured.
d. are structured.
, ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
13. Tests that measure an individual's typical behavior are called
a. ability tests.
b. personality tests.
c. intelligence tests.
d. group tests.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
14. Tests that provide a statement, usually of the self-report variety, and require the subject to choose between
two or more alternative responses, are called
a. group tests.
b. individual tests.
c. structured personality tests.
d. projective personality tests.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
15. Personality tests in which the test stimulus and/or required response are ambiguous are called
a. projective personality tests.
b. structured personality tests.
c. unstructured personality tests.
d. achievement personality tests.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
MSC: www
16. Which of the following is true of tests?
a. Tests produce explicit data that are subject to scientific study.
b. Tests are successful in separating prior learning from potential for learning.
c. Very few tests can actually predict behavior.
d. Tests can provide insight into overt but not covert behavior.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
17. Which of the following relates raw test scores to theoretical or empirical distributions?
a. transforms c. scales
b. reliability d. theories
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
18. The general potential to solve problems, adapt, and profit from experience is called
a. ability c. prediction
b. achievement d. intelligence
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
19. Which of the following is the most important function of testing?
a. To determine what sort of treatment or other intervention is appropriate
b. To develop accurate portraits of individuals
c. To discriminate among related constructs
, d. To differentiate among individuals taking the test
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
20. When you gather information through verbal interaction, you are using a(n)
a. individual test.
b. interview.
c. group test.
d. brainstorming.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
21. If one can depend upon the results of a particular test to be consistently accurate, the test can be said to be
a. valid.
b. structured.
c. unambiguous.
d. reliable.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
22. A test that yields dependable and consistent results is ____.
a. meaningful
b. objective
c. reliable
d. valid
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
MSC: www
23. The validity of a psychological test refers to its
a. dependability.
b. meaning.
c. objectivity.
d. fairness.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
24. If a particular test "X" has been shown to accurately predict success in a particular job, then the test is
said to be
a. valid.
b. structured.
c. ambiguous.
d. reliable.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
25. Test administration refers to the
a. construction of the test.
b. validation of the test.
c. act of taking a test.
d. act of giving a test.
Applications, and Issues, 8th Edition, Kaplan & Dennis
Chapter 1—Introduction
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. According to a study (Espenshade & Chung, 2010; Jaschik, 2006), 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.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Introduction
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.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
MSC: www
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.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
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.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
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.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
6. Previous learning can best be described as
, a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
MSC: www
7. The potential for learning a specific skill can best be described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
8. One's general potential, independent of prior learning, can best be described as
a. achievement.
b. aptitude.
c. intelligence.
d. ability.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
9. Achievement, aptitude, and intelligence can be encompassed by the term
a. human potential.
b. human traits.
c. human personality.
d. human ability.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
10. Structured personality tests
a. require you to produce something spontaneously.
b. require you to choose between two or more alternative responses.
c. involve an ambiguous test stimulus about which the response is structured..
d. involve an ambiguous test response.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
11. The main purpose of psychological testing is to evaluate
a. covert behavior.
b. individual differences.
c. personality traits.
d. overt behavior.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
12. Projective personality tests
a. provide a statement, usually of the self-report variety.
b. require the subject to choose between two or more alternative responses
c. are unstructured.
d. are structured.
, ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
13. Tests that measure an individual's typical behavior are called
a. ability tests.
b. personality tests.
c. intelligence tests.
d. group tests.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
14. Tests that provide a statement, usually of the self-report variety, and require the subject to choose between
two or more alternative responses, are called
a. group tests.
b. individual tests.
c. structured personality tests.
d. projective personality tests.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
15. Personality tests in which the test stimulus and/or required response are ambiguous are called
a. projective personality tests.
b. structured personality tests.
c. unstructured personality tests.
d. achievement personality tests.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
MSC: www
16. Which of the following is true of tests?
a. Tests produce explicit data that are subject to scientific study.
b. Tests are successful in separating prior learning from potential for learning.
c. Very few tests can actually predict behavior.
d. Tests can provide insight into overt but not covert behavior.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
17. Which of the following relates raw test scores to theoretical or empirical distributions?
a. transforms c. scales
b. reliability d. theories
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
18. The general potential to solve problems, adapt, and profit from experience is called
a. ability c. prediction
b. achievement d. intelligence
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
19. Which of the following is the most important function of testing?
a. To determine what sort of treatment or other intervention is appropriate
b. To develop accurate portraits of individuals
c. To discriminate among related constructs
, d. To differentiate among individuals taking the test
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Basic Concepts
20. When you gather information through verbal interaction, you are using a(n)
a. individual test.
b. interview.
c. group test.
d. brainstorming.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
21. If one can depend upon the results of a particular test to be consistently accurate, the test can be said to be
a. valid.
b. structured.
c. unambiguous.
d. reliable.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
22. A test that yields dependable and consistent results is ____.
a. meaningful
b. objective
c. reliable
d. valid
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
MSC: www
23. The validity of a psychological test refers to its
a. dependability.
b. meaning.
c. objectivity.
d. fairness.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
24. If a particular test "X" has been shown to accurately predict success in a particular job, then the test is
said to be
a. valid.
b. structured.
c. ambiguous.
d. reliable.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: Overview of the Book
25. Test administration refers to the
a. construction of the test.
b. validation of the test.
c. act of taking a test.
d. act of giving a test.
