Common Types of Psychometric Test

1. Achievement vs. Aptitude Tests

Achievement Tests

• Measure what you have learned

• Examples: AP Exams, school tests

• Key focus: Content validity (covers material taught)

Aptitude Tests

• Measure ability to learn or succeed in future tasks

• Examples: IQ tests, SAT

• Focus: Predictive validity (future performance)

Key Distinction

• Achievement = past learning

• Aptitude = future potential

2. Learning Disabilities

• Diagnosed using discrepancy:

  • High aptitude + low achievement → possible disability

• Must rule out:

  • Motivation

  • Environment

  • Personality factors

3. Power vs. Speed Tests

Power Tests

• Measure depth of knowledge/ability

• No strict time limit

• Increasing difficulty

Speed Tests

• Measure processing speed

• Strict time limits

• Easy questions

Use in IQ

• Both combined:

  • Speed → fluid intelligence

  • Power → crystallized intelligence

4. Fluid vs. Crystallized Intelligence

• Fluid intelligence

  • Problem-solving in new situations

  • Declines with age

• Crystallized intelligence

  • Knowledge from experience

  • Stable over time

5. Individual vs. Group Tests

Individual Tests

• One-on-one administration

• More accurate, flexible

• Used for diagnosis (giftedness, disabilities)

• Expensive, time-consuming

Group Tests

• Large groups at once

• Efficient, cheap

• Less precise

• Not suitable for clinical diagnosis

6. Intelligence Tests

Alfred Binet

• First intelligence test

• Measured academic ability

Stanford-Binet

• Adapted version (U.S.)

• Predicts academic success

Wechsler Tests

• Most widely used

• Separate:

  • Verbal IQ

  • Nonverbal (performance) IQ

7. Theories of Intelligence (Quick Table)

• Spearman → g factor (single intelligence)

• Cattell → fluid + crystallized

• Gardner → multiple intelligences (8 types)

• Sternberg → analytical, creative, practical

• Goleman → emotional intelligence

8. Diagnosis & Educational Placement

• Giftedness

  • IQ ≥ 130 (approx.)

• Intellectual disability

  • IQ < 70 + low adaptive functioning

• Must consider:

  • Behavior

  • Environment

  • Real-life functioning

9. Cultural Bias in Testing

• Tests may favor dominant culture knowledge

• Example: culturally specific questions

Solutions

• Not “culture-free” (impossible)

• Aim for culture-fair tests

10. Stereotype Threat

• Fear of confirming stereotypes → lower performance

• Studied by Claude Steele

• Affects standardized test results

11. Personality Inventories

MMPI-2

• 500+ true/false questions

• Measures:

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Behavior patterns

• Includes validity scales (detect lying/exaggeration)

Core Takeaway

Psychometric tests differ by:

• Purpose (learning vs potential)

• Structure (speed vs depth)

• Administration (individual vs group)

• Limitations (bias, definition of intelligence)

No single test fully captures intelligence or ability.