Psychological testing

Psychological testing refers to standardized measurement tools used to quantify psychological constructs such as abilities, personality traits, interests, and attitudes.

 

Psychological tests can be seen as tools for assessing the psychological characteristics or issues of individuals or groups. Examples include intelligence tests and personality assessments.

 

Definition of Psychological Testing

Psychological Constructs Psychological constructs are abstract and hypothetical concepts used by psychologists. Unlike physical attributes like height or weight, which can be directly measured using rulers or scales, psychological attributes such as 'conscientiousness' or 'extraversion' are abstract and cannot be directly measured. Psychologists distinguish between physical and psychological attributes, referring to psychological attributes as psychological 'constructs,' using operational definitions. Psychological testing is used to objectify psychological states like the degree of 'conscientiousness' or 'extraversion' by observing people's responses and making inferences.

 

Standardization

Standardized psychological testing refers to tests that are systematically developed from observable phenomena, based on empirical data, and validated with social scientific methods. These tests provide standardized norms and data on reliability and validity.

 

Measurement

Measurement is the process of assigning numbers to attributes of a target, not the target itself. For instance, measuring height or weight involves assessing 'physical attributes' like a person's height or weight, not measuring the person as a whole. In personality testing, measurement involves assessing attributes of psychological constructs such as conscientiousness, introversion and extraversion, job stress, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, leadership, anxiety, intelligence, intimacy, and aggression.

 

Measurement of constructs involves logically scaling observable phenomena within the limits of various approaches, potential errors in measurement, and scale units.

 

Purposes of Psychological Testing

Psychological testing serves the function of diagnosing current internal psychological attributes or characteristics, predicting future behavior through such diagnoses.

 

Educational Context

The development of psychological testing initially aimed to discern mental retardation. Today, it is used to identify mental retardation, giftedness, diagnose underachievers, and provide counseling regarding education and careers to high school and college students.

 

Clinical and Counseling Context

In clinical settings, psychological testing is used for diagnosing and distinguishing psychological disorders. It is also used to identify various types of behavioral deviants, including those experiencing emotional disturbances or antisocial personalities.

 

Industrial Context

Psychological testing plays a crucial role in industries for personnel selection and classification. From assembly workers to general office positions and even top executives, psychological testing is valuable for recruitment, job assignment, departmental transfers, promotions, and retirement. Psychological testing constitutes a significant part of overall personnel programs.

 

History of Psychological Testing

The first large-scale psychological testing began in China. Early forms of psychological tests evaluated candidates based on their administrative and fiscal literacy in the imperial examinations of China. Faster psychological tests were typically conducted for entertainment purposes. Modern mental tests began in France in the 19th century, contributing to distinguishing mental retardation from mental illness and reducing neglect, torture, and ridicule for both groups.

 

British psychologist Francis Galton coined the terms psychometrics and eugenics, developing intelligence measurement methods based on non-verbal sensory-motor tests. Initially popular, these methods were eventually discarded after it was found that they did not correlate with university grades or other outcomes. French psychologist Alfred Binet, along with psychologists Victor Henri and Théodore Simon, developed the Binet-Simon Test focusing on language abilities after about 15 years of development, aimed at identifying intellectual disabilities in children.

 

The origin of personality testing dates back to the 18th-19th centuries when personality was evaluated based on appearance, phrenology (measuring human skulls), and physiognomy. These early pseudoscientific methods were eventually replaced with more empirical approaches in the 20th century. One of the earliest modern personality tests was the Woodworth Personal Data Sheet, developed for World War I and later used for new recruits' mental emotions.