1. Testing an Individual Differences
AP Psychology
Gloucester High School
Mr. Perreault

2. Measuring Individual Differences
Psychology relies heavily on testing individuals, it is part of the foundation for psychological analysis. To be effective, however, strict guidelines must be followed.
Validity: Does the Test actually measure what we say it does/what we want it to?
Ex: Reading on a math test

3. Types of Validity
Face Validity: Does the test look like it test what it is supposed to test?
Content Validity: Each part of the test is representative of the larger body of knowledge
Criterion Validity: The behavior (such as college grades) that a test (such as the SAT) is designed to predict

4. https://docs. google. com/viewer

5. Assessing Intelligence

6. Measuring Individual Differences
Second part of a credible test is reliability
Test yields the same results over time

7. Creating Validity and Reliability
Most efficient way to create validity and reliability is to use a standardized test
In the most basic sense, a standardized test means:
The administration and scoring is the same for each test
The results of the test can be used to draw a conclusion about a subject that another person would come to.
Removing the subjectivity of interpretation

8. Judging Normal
A “normal curve” is applied to test to determine establish “norms”.
When a statistically significant sample of the population has been tested, strong conclusions can be drawn
A normal range for IQ scores is scores below 70 indicate mental retardation, while above 130 they are considered gifted

9. Types of Tests
Objective Test: Test that have one set answer, that can be scored easily by machine
Subjective Tests: Tests in which individuals are given ambiguous figures or on open ended questions which requires some interpretation and analysis

10. Sample Subjective Test
Rorschach Inkblot Test: widely known and inaccurate subjective tests
It is not used often for determining intelligence but can be useful to gain insight into the mindset of a subject
TAT: is similar to Rorschach in its subjectivity
Assessment is based on the interpretation of assessor

11. Intelligence Testing Difficult to define what exactly Intelligence is
Term is
Relative: defined in relation to the same abilities in a comparison group (usually age)
Hypothetically Constructed: unobservable but instead inferred from behavior

12. Testing IQ Became popular way to classify people in the early 1900s
Two French psychologists Binet and Simon developed a test to identify students who were gifted and those who needed extra help

13. Binet-Simon Test The test had four important distinctions
Scores were interpreted at their current performance
Used them to identify students in need of help not label or characterize them
Emphasized that training and opportunity could affect intelligence
Was empirically constructed

14. Binet-Simon Test
Scoring the test was done by calculating the mental age (MA) and the chronological age (CA)
MA: The average age at which normal individuals achieve a particular score
CA: The number of years since an individual’s birth

15. IQ in America Became popular early 1900s Huge increase in immigration
New laws requiring universal education
Military assessing new recruits for WWI
Benefits: inexpensive/objective way to separate those could benefit form education or military leadership training and those who needed assistance

16. Downside of IQ Testing
Tests ended up reinforcing prevailing prejudices about race and gender
Ignores the fact that environments disadvantages limit the full development of people’s intellectual abilities
Critics argue the test is cultural and those who do not share the culture basis of the test creator may not have the cultural contextual background to fairly answer the question
Chittlin’ Test

17. Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
Binet was adopted by a Stanford prof. changed the equation to make the score into a non decimal number
This now became known as the Intelligence Quotient
100 x MA = IQ CA

18. Theories of Intelligence
Spearman’s Factor: Intelligence was a general factor behind all of our mental ability
Catell’s Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence: the G Factor
Fluid: capacity to think logically and solve problems in novel situations-independent of acquired knowledge
Crystallized: use of skills, knowledge and experience-relies on accessing information from long-term memory

19. Multiple Intelligence
Howard Gardner
Measures only limited range of human mental abilities
Developed theory that people have various areas of abilities in 9 different intelligence
See handout

20. http://sitemaker. umich. edu/356

21. Savants
Individuals with remarkable, but rare talent, though deficient in other areas