Types of Psychological Test

In psychology, we use various types of tests to assess various attributes of humans. To study complex humans there are several forms of tests that are used by researchers, clinicians, psychologists, etc.

1. TYPES OF TESTS EFFORTS BY: KRISHNA MEHRA

2. TEST A test is a standardized procedure for sampling behavior and describing it with categories or scores. Most tests have norms or standards by which the results can be used to predict other, more important behaviors. Most tests possess these defining features: Standardized procedure Behavior sample Scores or categories Norms or standards Prediction of non-test behavior

3. A psychometrician is a specialist in psychology or education who develops and evaluates psychological tests.

4. GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL TESTS Group tests are largely pencil-and-paper measures suitable to the testing of large groups of persons at the same time. Individual tests are instruments that by their design and purpose must be administered one on one. Group tests were designed as mass testing instruments; they not only permit the simultaneous examination of large groups but they also use simplified instruction and administration procedures.

5. N orm-referenced test , the performance of each examinee is interpreted in reference to a relevant standardization sample In a criterion-referenced test , the objective is to determine where the examinee stands with respect to very tightly defined educational objectives. For example, one part of an arithmetic test for 10-year-olds might measure the accuracy level in adding pairs of two-digit numbers. In an untimed test of 20 such problems, accuracy should be nearly perfect. For this kind of test, it really does not matter how the individual examinee compares to others of the same age. What matters is whether the examinee meets an appropriate, specified criterion—for example, 95 percent accuracy. Unlike norm-referenced tests, criterion referenced tests can be meaningfully interpreted without reference to norms. NORM-REFERENCED AND CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS

6. Performance test- require motor or manual response on the examinee part generally but not always, involving manipulation of concrete equipments or materials. A test requiring little or no use of language, the test materials being designed to elicit manual or behavioral responses rather than verbal ones. Pen paper test- subject is provided with the test form or test booklet which contains all the items. Responses are given by subject on either the test form or separate answer sheet. PEN-PAPER AND PERFORMANCE TESTS

7. NON- LANGUAGE TESTS In this type of test, neither written nor spoken, in neither the instructions nor the test items is required Non language tests are specially designed for testees who are illiterate, unfamiliar with the native language It can either be a paper-pencil or performance test.

8. VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL TESTS They can be regarded as reading and non-reading tests. In verbal tests, reading and writing are required whereas in non-verbal tests neither reading or writing is required Non verbal tests use extensive use of oral instructions and communication on the part of tester.

9. INFORMAL AND STANDARDISED TESTS Informal tests are informed arbitrarily. It can be formed by anybody. Standardized tests are designed by test specialists, tried out experimentally (pre tested) They are scored and interpreted under standard conditions. Standardized procedure is an essential feature of any psychological test. A test is considered to be standardized if the procedures for administering it are uniform from one examiner and setting to another. The interpretation of a psychological test is most reliable when the measurements are obtained under the standardized conditions outlined in the publisher’s test manual. Nonstandard testing procedures can alter the meaning of the test results, rendering them invalid and, therefore, misleading

10. SPEED AND POWER TESTS Speed tests are designed to assess how quickly a test taker is able to complete the items within a set time period. The primary objective of speed tests is to measure the person's ability to process information quickly and accurately Scoring is based on how many questions are answered by the applicant within the time limit. Power tests measures level of performance rather than speed of response. This is made up of a series of test items in graded difficulty, from easiest to most difficult ones.

11. CULTURE FAIR AND CULTURE BIASED TESTS Culture-fair tests, also called culture-free tests are tests in which performance is not based on experience with or knowledge of a specific culture. Culture bias in testing refers to a situation where the score on a test are significantly higher or lower between cultural groups and are better able to predict the future performance of one cultural group than the rest of the population. These are tests that are constructed for population of specific population and known as culture biased tests.

12. OTHER TYPES