Psychological testing and assessment has undergone fundamental changes in the past and is continuously undergoing changes. This change is being driven by the advance in technology. The widespread availability of “digital technology” is having a significant impact on the future of psychological testing and assessment. New technologies are offering innovative breakthroughs in the way psychologists test and assess people. Electronics and digital options like the internet, mobile technologies, personal computers (PCs), and computers are quickly becoming the preferred way of functioning for many. In fact, the current technological world is characterized by innovative technologies. The continued advances in technology, particularly the continued growth the digital technology and the internet, and its expanding commercial applications are significantly impacting the future of psychological testing and assessment. This paper will delve into discussing the impact of technology on the future of psychological testing and assessment.
Literature Review
A Brief History of Psychological Testing and Assessment
Psychological testing and assessment have an extensive history within the field of psychology and mental health (Iliescu and Greiff, 2019). According to Oakland et al. (2001, as cited by Iliescu and Greiff, 2019), the widespread use of psychological assessment started in China more than 3000 years ago. However, it was not until the 20 th century that other nations started to duplicate these psychological tests and assessments. During the 20 th century, different psychologists developed a number of psychological tests. Among the tests that were developed include the Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), which were developed in the 1930s and 1940s, respectively (Groth-Marnat, 2009).
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With the increased popularity as well as the increased importance of psychological tests and assessments, nations, psychologists, and other stakeholders recognized the important need for the ethical use of such tests and assessments. As a result, multiple national and international efforts were made in order to address this issue (Coyne & Bartram, 2006a). For example, in 1976, the International Test Commission (ITC) was established. According to Coyne and Bartram (2006), ITC was established to support the ethical development and use of psychological testing and assessment. In addition, in the U.S., the American Psychological Association (APA) (2010) developed standards for the psychological use of tests and assessments.
Many studies document the growth and impact of psychological tests and assessments (Geisinger, 2000, as cited by Iliescu and Greiff, 2019). The tests and assessments have been expanded and updated on a regular basis in order to keep up with changing times. The advent of technology and the internet offered opportunities for the development of psychological tests and assessments. The role of digital technology has increased significantly in the field of psychological testing and assessment. Digital technologies have led to the development of more sophisticated and advanced psychometric techniques. According to Coyne & Bartram (2006), these new techniques have significantly contributed to a radical change in the way testing is done.
Impact of Technology in the Future of Psychological Testing and Assessment
The Shift from a Paper-and-Pencil Version of Tests to Computerized Version of Tests
The advent of technology has resulted in the shift from the paper-and-pencil version of tests to a computerized version of tests. The advances in digital technologies in the 20 th century presented many possibilities for the design, administration, and scoring of psychological tests and assessments. Digital technologies, like the internet, mobile technologies, PCs, and computers, became a fundamental part of the entire testing process (Foxcroft & Davies, 2006). The use of a computerized version of tests has not been fully adopted. As technology continues to advance, it is projected that computerized versions of tests will become fully adopted in the future. This is because of the enhanced efficiency of computer-based testing, as well as the role and benefits of digital technologies in the field of psychological testing and assessment (Greene, 2011). Digital technologies have multiple recognized benefits. Some of these benefits include speed, reduced costs, and increased accuracy. The advantages provided by the computerized version of tests outweigh those provided by a paper-and-pencil version of tests. Thus, the popularity of computerized versions tests is expected to grow as new innovative technologies are continued to be developed (Hays & McCallum, 2005) consistently.
The Shift toward ‘Testing as a Service”
In 2019, two highly respected university professors, Dragos Iliescu and Samuel Greiff carried out a study to investigate the significant impact of technology on the future of psychological tests and assessments. The authors predicted the future of psychological testing and assessment and how it might be affected by technology by drawing inspiration from what has already happened in other domains. More specifically, the authors focused on what has already happened in the music industry. According to Iliescu and Greiff (2019), the music has undergone significant changes over the past three decades. The advance in technology digitalized the music industry. For instance, how music is accessed and played significantly changed. Contrary to the early 20 th century, where music was still copied on carrier media, such as compact disks (CDs), at the end of the 20 th century, downloading started to dominate the music industry. The music industry was and continues to be disrupted by technology.
According to Iliescu and Greiff (2019), much of this shift may also follow the field of psychological testing and assessment. Iliescu and Greiff (2019) state that, “The traditional model of psychological testing was based on a competent test user buying (and owing) the test (i.e., the test materials: item booklet, scoring materials, manual, and so forth) from a test publisher or authors and being responsible for the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the test” (155). As technology continues to advance, the traditional model of psychological testing and assessment is fading. As the traditional model fades, an alternative model is creeping in. The alternative model involves owning access to the test rather than owning the test. With this model, users have access to test in the form of service. Through this, test users can take the test after paying a service fee. After scoring the tests, test platform administrators generate reports associated with the test.
Thus, another significant impact of technology on the future of psychological testing and assessment is the shift toward “testing as service.” One of the barriers to shifting for psychologists is their limited understanding and command of technology (Iliescu and Greiff, 2019). However, according to Langer et al. (2019), this barrier is easy to overcome. In the future, technology will shift the way psychological tests and assessments are administered. More specifically, the usage will shift towards “testing as a service,” which is the equivalent of “streaming” content in the music industry (Iliescu and Greiff, 2019).
Ethical & Legal Issues
Another area of technology that will have a significant impact when it comes to the future of psychological tests and assessments is ethical and legal issues. As technology advances, the use of computer-based and internet-delivered testing will increase. According to Foxcroft & Davies (2006), the shift to a computerized version of tests will raise many ethical and legal issues. The use of computerized versions of tests has raised significant ethical implications in the past (Foxcroft & Davies, 2006). Lack of awareness of computer-related issues may undermine the ability of psychologists and other professionals to perform computerized psychological tests and assessments ethically. According to the findings of a study carried out by Foxcroft and Davies (2006), graduate training in computerized testing is limited. Thus, as the use of computerized testing increased due to advances in technology, psychologists will have to be exposed to ethical concerns, potential judgment errors, and possible pitfalls not only when conducting the computerized tests but also when evaluating the reports.
In another study, Coyne & Bartram (2006) highlighted the ethical factors that may arise as the use of computerized tests increase in the future. These ethical factors include technological, quality, control, and security issues. These ethical factors will significantly impact the guidelines for computer-based testing and test interpretations. Some of the guidelines that will be revised in order to address some of those concerns that will arise include the APA (2010) guidelines, the APA (2002) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct the Guidelines for Computerized-Based Testing and Internet-Delivered Testing for the ITC, and the 1999 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing among many other guidelines (Weiner & Greene, 2017).
To sum up, psychological testing and assessment will undergo significant changes in the future. These changes will be drive, in part, by the advance in technology. New technologies will offer innovative breakthroughs in the way psychologists test and assess people. First, the advance in technology will shift the way psychological tests are administered. The traditional model of psychological testing, i.e., the pencil-and-paper version of tests, will fade. This model will slowly be replaced by a computerized version of tests in the future. Secondly, as technology advances, psychological testing and assessment will shift toward “testing as service.” With this model, rather than owning the tests, test users will pay to access psychological tests and assessments through web-based platforms. Another area that will be significantly impacted by technology is ethical and legal concerns. The increase in the use of computerized testing will raise a number of ethical and legal issues. Overall, technology will significantly impact the future of psychological testing and assessment.
References
Coyne, I., & Bartram, D. (2006). Introduction to the special issue on the ITC guidelines on computer-based and Internet-delivered testing. International Journal of Testing , 6 (2), 115-119.
Foxcroft, C. D., & Davies, C. (2006). Taking ownership of the ITC’s guidelines for computer-based and internet-delivered testing: A South African Application. International Journal of Testing , 6 (2), 173-180
Greene, R. L. (2011). Some considerations for enhancing psychological assessment. Journal of Personality Assessment, Vol. 93 (3), 198-203.
Groth-Marnat, G. (2009). Handbook of psychological assessment. New York, NY: John Wiley.
Hays, S., & McCallum, R. S. (2005). A comparison of the pencil‐and‐paper and computer‐administered Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–Adolescent. Psychology in the Schools, Vol. 42 (6), 605-613.
Iliescu, D., & Greiff, S. (2019). The Impact of Technology on Psychological Testing in Practice and Policy. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, Vol. 35 (2): 151-155.
Langer, M., Schmid Mast, M., Meyer, B., Maass, W., & König, C. J. (2019). Research in the era of sensing technologies and wearables. Cambridge Handbook of Technology and Employee Behavior .
Weiner, I. B., & Greene, R. L. (2017). Handbook of Personality Assessment . John Wiley & Sons.
