In general terms, a test is a procedure that is intended to establish the performance, quality, and reliability of something prior to it being used or applied on a wide spread basis. Regarding psychology, a psychological test is an instrument that is meant to measure the unobserved constructs referred to as latent variables. It is a typical but unnecessary series of tasks, objectives, or problems that the individual undertaking the test has to solve. According to Hogan (2007, p. 41), a test is “a standardized process or device that yields information about a sample or behavior or cognitive processes in a quantified manner”. The test is mainly aimed at measuring the maximum performance of the respondents. In this accord, this critical analysis paper seeks to provide a detailed discourse on the fundamental concepts of psychological testing and how they affect the tests.
As described above, a psychological test is a process or series of tests and tasks that employ a combination of techniques that aid in reaching a certain hypothesis concerning an individual, their capabilities, behavior, and personality. The tests are meant and aimed at assessing particular traits of a person such as introversion, extroversion, depression, anxiety, intelligence, aptitude, specific abilities, and feelings of an individual (Hogan, 2007).
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There are several categories of a psychological test which are used to identify and analyze different traits and characters of a person. These tests include
Mental ability Tests - the tests are used to measure a number of brain or cognitive functions as well as memory, sight and spatial capabilities (Hogan, 2007, p. 5). These type of tests can further be divided into other tests such as group or individually administered intelligence testing as well as other forms of tests outside the scope of mental ability tests.
Attitude Tests - these tests are important because they give valuable insights of a person’s interests. In addition, they show the habits that relate to these interests (Hogan, 2007). Examples in this category include the Thurstone Scale or the Likert Scale tests that are used to assess the feelings of an individual regarding particular events, people, places, or objects.
Personality Tests - the primary objective of these tests is the identification of information about the human personality. They are most often than not used by scientists in research or by clinicians in clinical diagnoses to measure the personality traits or style. These tests can further be divided into either projective techniques or objective personality tests (Hogan, 2007, p. 7-8)
Achievement Tests - these tests are used in the assessment of how well an individual understands a particular topic or a concept in that topic. Achievement tests are used by individuals such as teachers in measuring how well a student understands a particular concept in class. Contemporarily, these tests can be identified in the form of degrees, certificates or state funded programs (Hogan, 2007, p. 7).
Neuropsychological Tests - these tests are used by physicians and are focused on detecting the cognitive impairments of an individual that affect the normal functioning of the brain as a result of brain damage. For instance, a stroke is enough ground to warrant a neuropsychological test to check any cognitive damage such as decreased ability to think or reason. An example of this test is the Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT).
Direct Observation Tests - these tests involve the tester observing the subjects as they complete delegated activities or objectives. Direct Observation Tests are used by teachers in a classroom to assess aggressive classroom disorders as well as the parent-child relationship to model or identify a disorder. An example of the test is the Parent-Child Interaction Assessment-II.
Reliability in psychological testing denotes the extent to which results of a test are consistent and stable. It “deals only with the consistency of the measure, regardless of exactly what it is measuring” (Hogan, 2007, p.112). In cases where the constructs of a psychological test are not reliably measured, then the results or scores of the test will not approximate to an actual value in relation to the psychological variable being evaluated. Under this concept, it is assumed that observed test scores and results are composed of both true and error elements. As such, this concept makes use of a standard error of measurement to model to some degree of confidence that given test scores or results of individuals are true with the acknowledgment of a certain degree of error (Committee on Psychological Testing, 2015). To this effect, reliability is assessed via the following ways;
Test-retest - this is where the consistency of scores is determined over time to measure stability.
Inter-rater - this refers to the degree of agreement between two classifications.
Parallel or alternate forms - this is where the constancy of the scores are measured across divergent forms of the test.
Internal consistency - this is a homogeneity test of the test scores. In the case of internal consistency testing, the scores are split into two, and a comparison is made and the results converted into an index of reliability.
Comparatively, the scores of a psychological test may be considered reliable. However, it is worth pointing out that this does not mean that the scores are valid. To be considered valid, the theory and evidence must support the elucidations of the test scores with regards to the proposed uses of the tests. To this end, validity can be defined as “the extent to which a test measures what it purports to measure” (Hogan, 2007, p.156). Therefore, validity is primarily based on the analysis and application of the scores of the measure. For results of a psychological test to be considered as valid, they must be modeled in empirical evidence and psychological theory that determine the relationship between the test and what the test is meant to measure. As such, compared to reliability, validity requires the following criteria;
Construct evidence of validity - this is the extent to which the test results of an individual compare with the hypothetical concept that the test is intended to measure.
Content evidence of validity - this is the extent to which the content of the psychological test represents the targeted subject matter and duly supports the application of the test for its intended purpose.
Criterion–related evidence of validity - the extent to which the results of the psychological tests alternate with reliable, relevant, and measurable variables.
Other kinds or types of validity tests include diagnostic validity, ecological validity, and cultural validity (Committee on Psychological Testing, 2015). All the above validity tests are aimed at aiding an examiner or tester to decide which test to apply. The primary goals of the validity concept are to examine the content with relation to the constructs being measured, the connection with other variables, the internal structure and whether it matches the theoretical structure of the constructs. Moreover, it examines the response process and whether the respondents are applying it to the construct being measured, and the consequences of testing (intended and unintended consequences).
Psychological testing is vital in measuring particular or certain characteristics of individuals undertaking the tests. There are several categories of psychological tests including, mental tests, achievement tests, and neuropsychological tests. The paper has discussed the two most important concepts affecting psychological testing, that is, reliability and validity and their main contrasts. Both concepts have to be applied to any test; the upshot is that test results can be reliable but in no means valid. This is the reason why both concepts have to be utilized to achieve optimal results or outcomes of a psychological test.
References
Committee on Psychological Testing; Board on the Health of Select Populations; Institute of Medicine. Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2015 Jun 29. 3, Overview of Psychological Testing. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK305233/
Hogan, T. P. (2007). Psychological Testing: A Practical Introduction. (Second, Ed.) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
