chapter 1

• what is a test?

  measurement device or technique used to quantify (how much of something, assigning it with a number) behavior or aid in the understanding and prediction of behavior.
• what is an example of a test?

  a spelling test (tests someone's spelling and how well they spell).
• what is an operational definition?

  how you measure something, quantify something.
• sample of behavior (error) - a sample of behavior that is observed and recorded by the researcher. what is an example?

  person taking an exam and scores an 80% out of 100% then they only know 80% of the overall information
• measuring what we can't see (error)?

  if it less observable = MORE ERROR
• what is an item?

  a specific stimulus a person responds overtly too; response can be scored. (e.g., graded on a scale --> items would be a question asked on a multiple choice exam and over responses would be the answers.
• items are what?

  a mini test! --> each question is a mini test of your knowledge.
• what is a psychological test?

  set of items designed to measure characteristics of human being that pertain to behavior.
• what are the two types of behavior?

  overt and covert
• what is overt behavior?

  an individuals observable activity (some psychological tests attempt to measure the extent to which someone might engage in a behavior).
• what is a covert behavior?

  takes place within an individual, can't be observed (thoughts and feelings)
• what is a cognitive ability test?

  tests knowledge, reasoning, problem solving, etc. (they have right and wrong answers like 2 + 2 = 4)
• what is an individual test?

  test that can only be given to ONE person at a time.
• what are group tests?

  tests that are administered to a group of individuals at the same time. (e.g., professor giving an exam to a whole class).
• ability tests are?

  what a person can do; categorized by behavior they can measure
• how can ability tests be scored?

  they contain items that can be scored in terms of speed, accuracy or both --> the faster + more accurate your responses are, the better your scores on a specific characteristic.
• what is an example of an ability test?

  the times table tests from elementary school; how many you can answer correctly in one minute.
• what are the 3 big categories of tests?

  achievement, aptitude, and intelligence
• what is an achievement test?

  based on previously learned material, measures what you already know.
• what is an aptitude test?

  based on potential for learning or gaining a specific skill, future learning. (e.g., SAT used for predicting college GPA).
• what is an intelligence test?

  refers to a person's general potential to solve problems, adapt to challenging circumstances, think abstractly, profit from experience.
• what is general mental ability?

  IQ TESTS
• all 3 big category tests are what?


  HIGHLY CORRELATED; scoring high on one then you will likely score high on others.
• what is a personality test?

  related to overt and covert dispositions of the individual, measure typical behavior (traits).
• what are the two different personality tests?

  structured and projective
• what is a structured personality test?

  provides a treatment, usually of "self report"/ "survey" / "questionnaire" format, requires the subject to choose between two or more alternative responses. (e.g., true or false)
• what is a projective personality test?

  either the stimulus (test materials) or required response -- or both -- are ambiguous. (e.g., Rorschach test; the stimulus is an inkblot and the person is asked to give a spontaneous response.
• what are attitude measures?

  measure your attitudes about something, "self-report" / affected by someone's personality.
• what are neuropsychology tests?

  they are linking brain behavior --> related to ability to tests
• what is psychological testing?

  all the possible uses, applications, and underlying concepts of psychological and educational tests.
• what is the main purpose of psychological testing?

  to evaluate individual differences and variations among individuals.
• what is psychological testing for?

  measure individuals differences in ability and personality and assume that the differences shown on the test reflect actual difference among individuals.
• what are the two key principles of psychological testing?

  reliability and validity
• what is relaibilty?

  refers to the accuracy, dependability, and consistency of test results (degree to which the test scores is free from measurement error).
• what is validity?

  refers to the meaning and usefulness of test results; specifically refers to the degree to which a certain inference or interpretation based on a test is appropriate. ("does it measure what is supposed to measure?")
• what are some issues of psychological testing?

  social, theoretical issues, controversial topic of racial differences in ability, accompany testing.
• during the Ming Dynasty, what happned?

  tests became very developed, national multistage testing program involved in local and regional testing centers equipped with special testing booths, those who did well on the tests went on the more extensive exams, after second testing they moved up again, only those who passed third test were eligible for public office positions.
• what was Charles Darwins book?

  the origin of species in 1859; focused on understanding individual differences.
• what was Darwins theory?

  theory of evolution: higher forms of life evolved partially because of differences among individual forms of life within a species.
• what else did Darwin believe?

  those with the best or most adaptive characteristics survive at the expense of those who are less fit; the survivors pass their characteristics on to next generation.