Psychological Statistics

• Median - The midpoint of a distribution.
• The mode is the most frequently occurring score in a set of scores.
• The median is the middle value when data are arranged from smallest to largest or vice versa.
• The mean is the average value, calculated by adding all values together and dividing by the number of observations.
• Systematic sampling involves selecting every nth individual from the population to be included in the sample.
• Standard deviation (SD) - A measure of variability that indicates how spread out the scores are from their mean value.
• Range - The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.
• Mode - The most frequently occurring score or scores in the data set.
• Mean - A measure of central tendency that represents the average value of a set of data, calculated by adding all values together and dividing by the number of values.
• Psychological Assessment involves gathering and integrating psychology-related data for the purpose of making a psychological evaluation.
• Psychological Testing is the process of measuring psychology-related variables by means of devices or procedures designed to obtain a sample of behavior.
• Beginning of 1980s, several major branches of applied psychology emerged such as neuropsych, health psych, forensic psych, and child psych.
• Raymond Cattell introduced the 16PF.
• Guilford made the first serious attempt to use factor analytic technique in the development of a structured personality test.
• Testing usually involves numerical data and can be administered individually or by group.
• Test administrators can be interchangeable without affecting the evaluation.
• Testing requires technician-like skills in terms of administration and scoring.
• Testing yields a test score or a series of test scores.
• Assessment answers the referral question through the use of different tools of evaluation and is administered individually.
• The assessor is the key to the process of selecting tests and/or other tools of evaluation.
• Assessment requires an educated selection of tools of evaluation, skill in evaluation, and thoughtful organization and integration of data.
• Assessment entails logical problem-solving that brings to bear many sources of data assigned to answer the referral question.
• A test is a measuring device or procedure.
• A Psychological Test is a device or procedure designed to measure variables related to psychology.
• Content refers to the subject matter of a test.
• Format refers to the form, plan, structure, arrangement, layout of a test.
• An Item is a specific stimulus to which a person responds overtly and this response is being scored or evaluated.
• Administration Procedures refer to the way a test is administered, whether it be on a one-to-one basis or group administration.
• Diagnosis is a description or conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and opinion.
• Business and Military Settings include a wide range of achievement, aptitude, interest, motivational, and other tests may be employed in the decision to hire as well as in related decisions regarding promotions, transfers, job satisfaction, etc.
• Tests could be intelligence tests, personality tests, neuropsychological tests, or other specialized instruments.
• Psychological Autopsy is based on archival records, artifacts, and interviews previously conducted with the deceased.
• Achievement Test evaluates accomplishment or the degree of learning that has taken place.
• Tests in counseling settings are usually individualized.
• Other parties that could sponsor the development of the test include organizations, companies, and government.
• Educational Setting includes achievement tests used to evaluate students' progress and diagnostic tests used to identify areas of deficit for intervention.
• Informal Evaluation is a nonsystematic assessment that leads to the formation of an opinion or attitude.
• Clinical Settings include tests used to help screen for or diagnose behavior problems.
• Diagnostic Test refers to a tool of assessment used to help narrow down and identify areas of deficit to be targeted for intervention.
• Psychological Testing and History includes dementia, which is the loss of cognitive functioning that occurs as the result of damage to or loss of brain cells, and pseudodementia, which is a severe depression that mimics dementia.