Quiz #1

Culture

"The socially transmitted behavior patterns, beliefs, and products of work of a particular population, community, or group of people"

Computerized Assessment

A number of psychological tests can be purchased on disc or administered and scored online Offers convenience, simplicity, and greater range of assessment

Psychological assessment proceeded along two lines. What are they?

Academic tradition: Researchers at universities use tools of assessment in research to advance knowledge and understanding of human and animal behavior. Applied tradition: clinical psychology, to answer questions such as competency, personnel selection, screening and educational

Issues in computer-assisted psychological assessment (CAPA):

Access to test administration, scoring, and interpretation software. Comparability of pencil-and-paper vs. computerized tests. The value of computerized test interpretations. Unprofessional, unregulated "psychological testing" online.

Concerns of the Public

Concerns started after World War I when tests developed for military use were adapted and became widespread in schools and industry. The launch of Sputnik in 1957 by the Soviet Union prompted the U.S. government to greatly increase testing of abilities and aptitudes in schools to identify talented students Simultaneously, ability and personality testing greatly increased in government, the military, and business. This led to renewed public concern

Tests & Group Membership

Conflict often ensues when groups systematically differ in terms of scores on a particular test (e.g., employment, admissions)

Cultural Issues posed by Henry Goddard

He found that the majority of immigrant populations were "feeble-minded" Sterilization of mentally deficient Coined term "moron"

Test User Qualifications

In 1950 the APA published a report called Ethical Standards for the Distribution of Psychological Tests and Diagnostic Aids. It outlined three levels of tests in terms of expertise: Levels A, B, C

Right to privacy and confidentiality:

In most states, the information provided by clients to psychologists is considered privileged information (under control of client) Privilege not absolute -psychologists may have to disclose information if ordered by the courts or the client may harm self or other.

The right to be informed of test findings:

In past, test-takers often not told diagnostic findings or anything that might hurt their self-image.

issue of norms

In the 1930's and 1940's developers of IQ tests devised culture-specific tests and clarified that the tests were not intended for minority cultures. Yet, tests were still used on individuals belonging to other cultures

Standards of Evaluation (Culture & Assessment)

Judgments related to certain psychological traits can be culturally relative. Cultures differ in regards to gender roles and views of psychopathology Cultures also vary in terms of collectivist vs. individualist value. Collectivist cultures may value traits such as conformity, cooperation, interdependence, and striving toward group goals Individualist cultures may place value on traits such as self-reliance, autonomy, independence, uniqueness, and competitiveness.

Details of Levels A, B, C

Level A -Tests or aids that can adequately be administered, scored, and interpreted with the aid of the manual Level B -Tests or aids that require some technical knowledge of test construction/use and knowledge of psychology and education. Level C -Tests and aids that require substantial understanding of testing and supporting psychological fields together with supervised experience in the use of these devices.

Non-Verbal communication (Culture & Assessment)

Non-verbal signs or body language may vary from one culture to another Other cultures may complete tasks at a different pace, which may be particularly problematic for timed tests

______________, such as the Rorschach Inkblot Test, individual assumed to "project" onto ambiguous stimulus his or her own unique needs, fears, hopes, and motivation.

Projective Tests

Advantage of Self-Report

Respondents are arguably the best-qualified people to provide answers about themselves

Disadvantages of Self-Report tests

Respondents may have poor insight - might honestly believe things about themselves that are not true Some respondents are unwilling to reveal anything about themselves that is personal or negative

Why do the examiner & examinee NOW need to speak the same language?

Some meaning and nuance may be lost in translation Some interpreters may not be familiar with mental health issues -pre-training may be necessary .In interviews language deficits may be detected by trained examiners but may go undetected in written tests .Assessments need to be evaluated in terms of the language proficiency required and the current level of the test-taker.

The rights of Test-takers

Test-takers have a right to know why they are being evaluated, how the test data will be used, and what (if any) information will be released to whom With full knowledge of such information, test-takers give their informed consent. Information needed for consent must be in language the test-taker can understand.

Right to the least stigmatizing label:

The Standards advise that the least stigmatizing labels should always be assigned when reporting test results.

__________________ brought the need for large-scale testing of the intellectual ability of new recruits

World Wars I and II

moron

coined in 1910 by psychologistH.H. Goddard, used to describe a person with a mental age in adulthood of between 7 and 10 on the Binet scale. It was once applied to people with an IQof 51-70, being superior in one degree to "imbecile" (IQ of 26-50) and superior in two degrees to "idiot" (IQ of 0-25)

idiot

formerly a legal and psychiatric category of profoundintellectual disability in which a person's mental age is two years or less, and he or she cannot guard against common dangers.

Goddard's findings largely result of using translated Stanford-Binet intelligence test overestimating mental deficiency even in native English-speaking populations, magnified even more among ________________

immigrant populations

In 1905, Binetand Simon developed first ____________________ to identify mentally retarded Paris schoolchildren

intelligence tests

Some would argue that if tests are measuring what they are supposed to then group membership should not be an issue, while others seek to "_________________________" through initiatives such as affirmative action; note issue if criteria consistently advantages one group over another

level the playing field

Goddard's research sparked _____________________: Were IQ results indicative of some underlying native ability or the extent to which knowledge and skills had been acquired?

nature vs. nurture debate

Test-users should sensitively inform test-takers of the ________ of the test, the __________ of the score relative to those of other test-takers, and the possible _________ and margins of error of the test

purpose, meaning, limitations

Woodworth Psychoneurotic Inventory first widely used____________ personality test It was developed during WWIby US Army to determined recruits susceptibility to shell shock

self-report