Glossary

Absolute decisions

Decisions based on the minimum score needed to qualify.

Abstract attributes

Attributes like personality, intelligence, and creativity that are challenging to describe using behaviors.

Accessibility

The extent to which a test allows fair demonstration of a test taker's abilities without bias.

Acculturation

The level of adaptation to a mainstream culture by an immigrant or minority member.

Achievement tests

Tests assessing a person's previous learning in a specific academic area.

Acquiescence

The tendency of some test takers to agree with presented ideas or behaviors.

Adaptive testing

Using tests that adjust difficulty based on the test taker's skill level.

Age norms

Norms allowing comparison of an individual's test score with others in the same age group.

Alternate forms

Two test forms with different questions but similar difficulty levels.

Anchors

Numbers or words on a scale indicating performance levels.

Anonymity

Administering tests without revealing the participant's identity.

Aptitude tests

Tests evaluating potential for learning or performance in new areas.

Area transformations

Changing scores for interpretation, like percentile ranks.

Assessment center

Simulating job tasks to assess skills like leadership and decision-making.

Attenuation due to unreliability

Reduction in validity due to test or criterion unreliability.

Authentic assessment

Evaluating real-world application of learned knowledge and skills.

Autism spectrum disorders

Developmental disabilities affecting communication and social interaction.

b weight

Regression slope indicating the expected change in the criterion for a unit change in the predictor.

Behavior

Observable and measurable actions.

Behavior observation tests

Assessments based on observing behaviors in specific contexts.

Generalizability Theory

A method to analyze sources of inconsistency in test scores to identify and eliminate systematic errors.

Generalizable

Test results remain consistent across different locations.

Grade Norms

Standards to compare a student's test score with others in the same grade.

Graphic Rating Scale

A visual representation for rating employees' performance based on defined categories.

Halo Effect

Raters' bias in one dimension influencing judgments in other dimensions.

Heterogeneous Test

Measures multiple traits or characteristics.

High-Fidelity Test

Mimics job tasks and settings realistically.

High-Stakes Test

Student performance significantly impacts educational paths.

Histogram

A bar graph representing frequency data in statistics.

Homogeneity of the Population

Degree of similarity among individuals in a population.

Homogeneous Test

Measures only one trait or characteristic.

Hypotheses

Educated guesses based on a theory.

Incremental Validity

Additional variance explained by adding tests to a battery.

Individual Decisions

Decisions made by test takers based on results.

Individually Administered Surveys

Surveys completed in the presence of a facilitator.

Inference

Drawing conclusions based on evidence.

Informed Consent

Individuals' right to explanations about testing purposes and results.

Institutional Decisions

Decisions made by institutions based on test results.

Instructional Objectives

List of expected outcomes from a course.

Integrity Tests

Assess attitudes towards honesty, reliability, and prosocial behavior.

Pretesting

Method to identify sources of nonsampling measurement errors and assess the effectiveness of revisions to questions, surveys, or tests.

Probability Sampling

Sampling method using statistical procedures to ensure sample represents the population.

Projective Drawings

Psychological test where test takers draw their own pictures as directed by the assessor.

Personal Interviews

Surveys involving direct contact with respondents in person or by phone.

Projective Technique

Psychological test with unclear response requirements to encourage test takers to describe thoughts and emotions.

Personality Tests

Tests designed to measure human character or disposition.

Projective Tests

Unstructured tests requiring responses to ambiguous stimuli.

Protected Class

Group protected from discrimination by federal law, such as based on ethnicity or gender.

Psychological Assessments

Tools involving multiple methods to understand and predict behavior.

Psychological Construct

Unobservable personal attribute important in describing human behavior.

Psychological Test

Measurement tool requiring behaviors to infer human attributes, traits, or characteristics.

Psychometrics

Quantitative and technical aspects of psychological measurement.

Qualitative Analysis

Test developers ask test takers about their views and answers.

Quantitative Item Analysis

Statistical analysis of responses to individual test questions.

Random Error

Unexplained difference between a test taker's true score and obtained score.

Random Responding

Marking answers randomly without considering the items.

Range

Measure of variability calculated by subtracting the lowest from the highest number in a distribution.

Ratio Scales

Measurement level where numbers are assigned with equal distances and a zero point.

Raw Score

Basic score calculated when an individual completes a psychological test.

Reliability Coefficient

Correlation between sets of scores on parallel tests.

Reliability/Precision

Consistency in yielding measurements by an instrument.

Reliable Test

Test consistently yielding the same measurements for the same phenomena.

Replication

Administering a test to a different sample as part of the validation process.

Response Rate

Number of respondents divided by the total number who received a survey.

Response Sets

Patterns of responding leading to false or misleading information.

Restriction of Range

Reduction in score range when some people are excluded from a validity study.

Sample

Subset of a population used to represent the entire population.

Sample Size

Number of people in a sample.

Sampling Error

Statistic reflecting error due to lack of representation of the target population.

Scientific Method

Process for generating knowledge involving testing ideas objectively.

Scorer Reliability

Agreement among persons scoring a test or rating an individual.

Self-Administered Surveys

Surveys completed by individuals without an administrator.

Semistructured Interview

Interview with predetermined and open-ended questions.

Sensory Impairments

Disabilities hindering the function of the five senses.

Sentence Completion

Test item format where test takers complete sentences.

Severity Errors

Systematic rating errors giving all employees worse ratings than deserved.

Simple Random Sampling

Sampling where every member has an equal chance of selection.

Simulation

Item format requiring test takers to demonstrate skills in a realistic setting.

Single-Group Validity

Validity for one group but not for another.

Stanines

Standard score scales with nine points describing distributions.

Situational Judgment Test

Low-fidelity simulation presenting scenarios for effective responses.

Slope

Expected change in Y for every one unit change in X on a regression line.

Slope Bias

Measurement bias where the slope of the regression line varies among demographic groups.

Social Desirability

Tendency to provide socially acceptable answers.

Spearman-Brown Formula

Formula estimating reliability of a split test.

Split-Half Method

Estimating test reliability by correlating scores from two halves of a test.

Standard Deviation

Measure of variability indicating how scores vary from the mean.

Standard Deviation Unit

Number representing how many standard deviations a score is from the mean.

Standard Error of Measurement (SEM)

Index of inconsistency expected in an individual's test score.

Standard Scores

Transformation of raw scores for easier comparison.

Standardization Sample

People tested to establish a frame of reference for interpreting individual scores.

Standardized Tests

Tests administered to a similar group to develop norms.

State

Temporary condition often associated with anxiety.

Stem

Statement, question, or partial sentence in a multiple-choice question.

Stratified Random Sampling

Sampling dividing a population into subgroups.

Structured Clinical Interview

Interview with predetermined questions and scoring.

Structured Interview

Predetermined questions scored for diagnosis or hiring decisions.

Structured Observations

Within-group norming

Scoring a test differently based on the race of the test taker while administering the same test to all.

Work sample

A job-related task like building a sawhorse or designing a doghouse used for small-scale assessment.