Psychological Testing and Reliability

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and definitions regarding reliability in psychological testing.

Reliability

The consistency of scores obtained from testing under various conditions over time.

Reliability Coefficient

An index of reliability that ranges from 0 (not reliable) to 1 (perfectly reliable).

Measurement Error

The component of the observed test score that does not relate to the test taker’s ability.

Random Error

Unpredictable fluctuations and inconsistencies in measurement.

Systematic Error

Errors that are consistent or proportionate to the true variable being measured.

True Score

The value that genuinely reflects an individual’s ability or trait level as measured by a particular test.

Construct Validity

The degree to which a test measures a theoretical variable that it purports to measure.

Test-Retest Reliability

A measure of stability over time by administering the same test on two different occasions.

Parallel Forms Reliability

Refers to the consistency between two equivalent forms of the same test.

Internal Consistency Reliability

The degree to which different items measure the same construct within a test.

Coefficient Alpha

A measure of internal consistency for tests with multiple items, assessing the correlation among items.

Observer Reliability

The degree of agreement between two or more observers evaluating the same phenomenon.

Confidence Interval

A range of scores likely to contain a person's true score, derived from Standard Error of Measurement.

Item Sampling

A method assessing attributes using a wide variety of test items.

Domain Sampling Theory

An alternative to Classical Test Theory focusing on systematic rather than random error.

Item Response Theory (IRT)

A modeling framework that analyzes the probability of a person with a given ability level performing at a certain level on a test item.

Standard Error of Measurement (SEM)

A measure that indicates how much a test score could vary from the true score.

Kappa Statistics

A statistical measure of inter-rater agreement for categorical items.