Psychological Testing and Assessment Practice Flashcards

Flashcards covering the vocabulary and core concepts of psychological testing, measurement, and norms as presented in Chapter 4.

Trait

Any distinguishable, relatively enduring way in which one individual varies from another.

State

Characteristics that distinguish one person from another but are relatively less enduring than traits.

Construct

An informed, scientific concept developed or constructed to describe or explain behavior, which cannot be seen, heard, or touched.

Overt behavior

An observable action or the product of an observable action, including test- or assessment-related responses.

Cumulative scoring

A scoring model where a trait is measured by a series of test items, and the sum of the keyed responses is assumed to correspond to the magnitude of the trait.

Postdict

To aid in the understanding of behavior that has already taken place, such as a criminal defendant’s state of mind at the time of a crime.

Error

A component of the measurement process referring to the assumption that factors other than what a test attempts to measure will influence performance.

Error variance

The component of a test score attributable to sources other than the trait or ability measured.

Psychometric soundness

The technical quality of a test, specifically referring to the two key aspects of reliability and validity.

Reliability

The consistency of a measuring tool, encompassing the precision with which it measures and the extent to which error is present.

Validity

The extent to which a test does, in fact, measure what it purports to measure for a particular purpose.

Norms

Test performance data of a particular group of testtakers designed for use as a reference when evaluating or interpreting individual test scores.

Normative sample

The specific group of people whose performance on a particular test is analyzed for reference in evaluating individual testtakers.

Norm-referenced testing and assessment

A method of evaluation and deriving meaning from test scores by evaluating an individual testtaker’s score and comparing it to scores of a group of testtakers.

Standardization

The process of administering a test to a representative sample for the purpose of establishing norms, including clearly specified procedures for administration and scoring.

Population

The complete universe or set of individuals with at least one common, observable characteristic.

Sample

A portion of the universe of people deemed to be representative of the whole population.

Sampling

The process of selecting a portion of the universe deemed to be representative of the whole population.

Stratified sampling

Selecting a sample that include representatives of different subgroups of the population in proportion to their current occurrence in the population.

Stratified-random sampling

A procedure where every member of a population has the same chance of being included in a sample that proportionately represents various strata.

Purposive sample

A sample arbitrarily selected because it is believed to be representative of the population.

Incidental sample

Also known as a convenience sample, this is a group that is convenient or available for use, such as subjects in a psychology student pool.

Percentile

An expression of the percentage of people whose score on a test or measure falls below a particular raw score.

Percentage correct

A raw score distribution calculated by multiplying the number of items answered correctly by $100$ and dividing by the total number of items.

Age norms

Also known as age-equivalent scores, these indicate the average performance of different samples of testtakers who were at various ages at the time of administration.

Grade norms

Scores designed to indicate the average test performance of testtakers in a given school grade.

Developmental norms

A broad term applied to norms developed on the basis of any trait, ability, or skill presumed to be affected by chronological age or school grade.

National norms

Norms derived from a normative sample that was nationally representative of the population at the time of the norming study.

National anchor norms

Equivalency tables for scores on different tests, typically calculated using the equipercentile method on the same sample.

Local norms

Normative information developed by test users themselves with respect to a local population's performance on a test.

Fixed reference group scoring system

A system where the distribution of scores obtained from one group is used as the basis for calculation of test scores for future administrations, such as with the SAT.

Criterion

A standard on which a judgment or decision may be based.

Criterion-referenced testing and assessment

A method of evaluation and deriving meaning from test scores by evaluating an individual's score with reference to a set standard.

Mastery tests

Another name for criterion-referenced tests, particularly when used to gauge achievement or mastery in a content area.

Culturally informed assessment

An approach to evaluation that considers culture as a factor in test administration, scoring, and interpretation to ensure inferences are reasonable.