Home » Psychological Test Categories » Categories of Psychological Tests - Know the Test Concepts
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Categories of Psychological Tests - Know the Test Concepts
Categories of Psychological Tests
IQ [achievement tests]
IQ tests are measures of intelligence, while achievement tests are measures of the use and level of development of use of the ability. IQ/cognitive tests and achievement tests are common norm-referenced tests. In these types of tests, a series of tasks is presented to the person being evaluated, and the person's responses are graded according to carefully prescribed guidelines. After the test is completed, the results can be compiled and compared to the responses of a norm group, usually comprised of people at the same age or grade level as the person being evaluated.
IQ tests which contain a series of tasks typically divide the tasks into verbal (relying on the use of language) and performance, or non-verbal (relying on eye-hand types of tasks, or use of symbols or objects). Exp: of verbal IQ test tasks are vocabulary and information such answering general knowledge questions and Non-verbal examples are timed completion of puzzles (object assembly), making designs out of coloured blocks.
Neuropsychological test
These tests consist of specifically designed tasks used to measure a psychological function known to be linked to a particular brain structure or pathway. They are typically used to assess impairment after an injury or illness known to affect neurocognitive functioning, or when used in research, to contrast neuropsychological abilities across experimental groups.
Personality test
Measures of personality are often described as either objective tests or projective tests. Some projective tests are used less often today because they are more time consuming to administer.
The number of tests specifically meant for the field of sexology is quite limited. The field of sexology provides different psychological evaluation devices in order to examine the various aspects of the discomfort, problem or dysfunction, regardless of whether they are individual or relational ones.
Although most psychological tests are "rating scale" or "free response" measures, psychological assessment may also involve the observation of people as they complete activities. This type of assessment is usually conducted with families in a laboratory, home or with children in a classroom. The purpose may be clinical, such as to establish a pre-intervention baseline of a child's hyperactive or aggressive classroom behaviors or to observe the nature of a parent-child interaction in order to understand a relational disorder. Direct observation procedures are also used in research, for Exp to study the relationship between intrapsychic variables and specific target behaviors, or to explore sequences of behavioral interaction.
Test Administration
Generally tests should be presented in a standard manner laid out in the instructions that come with the measure. In some instances computer assisted testing can help in the process of presenting material and managing timings etc.
IQ [achievement tests]
IQ tests are measures of intelligence, while achievement tests are measures of the use and level of development of use of the ability. IQ/cognitive tests and achievement tests are common norm-referenced tests. In these types of tests, a series of tasks is presented to the person being evaluated, and the person's responses are graded according to carefully prescribed guidelines. After the test is completed, the results can be compiled and compared to the responses of a norm group, usually comprised of people at the same age or grade level as the person being evaluated.
IQ tests which contain a series of tasks typically divide the tasks into verbal (relying on the use of language) and performance, or non-verbal (relying on eye-hand types of tasks, or use of symbols or objects). Exp: of verbal IQ test tasks are vocabulary and information such answering general knowledge questions and Non-verbal examples are timed completion of puzzles (object assembly), making designs out of coloured blocks.
Neuropsychological test
These tests consist of specifically designed tasks used to measure a psychological function known to be linked to a particular brain structure or pathway. They are typically used to assess impairment after an injury or illness known to affect neurocognitive functioning, or when used in research, to contrast neuropsychological abilities across experimental groups.
Personality test
Measures of personality are often described as either objective tests or projective tests. Some projective tests are used less often today because they are more time consuming to administer.
- Objective Test : Have a restricted response format, such as allowing for true or false answers or rating using an ordinal scale. Prominent examples of objective personality tests include the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III, Child Behavior Checklist, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Objective personality tests can be designed for use in business for potential employees and Five Factor Model of normal personality test.
- Projective Test : allow for a freer type of response. An example of this would be the Rorschach test, in which a person states what each of ten ink blots might be. The terms "objective test" and "projective test" have recently come under criticism in the Journal of Personality Assessment. The more descriptive "rating scale or self-report measures" and "free response measures" are suggested, rather than the terms "objective tests" and "projective tests," respectively. As improved sampling and statistical methods developed, much controversy regarding the utility and validity of projective testing has occurred. The use of clinical judgement rather than norms and statistics to evaluate people's characteristics has convinced many that projetives are deficient and unreliable [the results are too dissimilar each time a test is given to the same person].
The number of tests specifically meant for the field of sexology is quite limited. The field of sexology provides different psychological evaluation devices in order to examine the various aspects of the discomfort, problem or dysfunction, regardless of whether they are individual or relational ones.
Although most psychological tests are "rating scale" or "free response" measures, psychological assessment may also involve the observation of people as they complete activities. This type of assessment is usually conducted with families in a laboratory, home or with children in a classroom. The purpose may be clinical, such as to establish a pre-intervention baseline of a child's hyperactive or aggressive classroom behaviors or to observe the nature of a parent-child interaction in order to understand a relational disorder. Direct observation procedures are also used in research, for Exp to study the relationship between intrapsychic variables and specific target behaviors, or to explore sequences of behavioral interaction.
Test Administration
Generally tests should be presented in a standard manner laid out in the instructions that come with the measure. In some instances computer assisted testing can help in the process of presenting material and managing timings etc.
