1. PY3107: An Introduction to Psychometrics, Assessment and Ethics
Lecture 1
Lidia Suárez

2. Lecture 1: Overview Introduction to the Subject.
Introduction to Psychological Testing.
Test Administration.
Test Interviewing.
Chapters 1, 7, & 8

3. Introduction to the Subject Textbook
Kaplan, R. M., & Saccuzzo, D. P. (2009). Psychological testing: Principles, applications, and issues (7th ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth.
Should be available from bookshop & library.
Lectures based on 7th Edition.
You may also use the 6th Edition to study.

4. Introduction to the Subject Assessment
Mid-semester quiz 25%
- 50 MCQ, 1 hour
- During Lecture 4 (22nd July 2010)
- Covers material from Lectures and Tutorial 1-3, and related readings
Written Assignment: Test Review 30%
- Critically review a psychological test ( words)
- Due Tutorial 7 (25th August 2010)
Examination %
- 100 MCQ, 2 hours
- Covers all materials

5. Introduction to the Subject Policy on late assignments
The policy of this school is to impose a penalty for late submission of essays or other assignments. Marks will be subtracted from the awarded mark at the rate of 5% of the value of the assessable work per day.

6. Introduction to the Subject Policy on English Competency
Please seek help if necessary.
Contact Dr. Denise Dillon if necessary.

7. Introduction to the Subject Policy on Plagiarism
Zero Tolerance Policy!!!
Zero marks. Possible to appeal.
If caught again, same as above but possible expulsion from course.
/plagiarism/index.htm

8. Introduction to the Subject Tutorials
TA: Robyn Youie Wednesday 09:00 – 12:00
TB: Manisha Agarwal Wednesday 19:00 – 22:00

9. Introduction to the Subject LearnJCU
Information on the course.
Announcements.
Additional documents.
Links to web sites.
Communication options
Discussion Board
General
Critique

10. Introduction to the Subject Overview
Most psychologists will be involved in testing.
Aim to provide a broad familiarity with tests and test concepts.
Base for the development of specific skills later in career.

11. Introduction to the Subject Learning Goals
Awareness of the strengths and limitations in the use of testing.
Knowledge of the principles of test construction and an ability to interpret the psychometric properties of tests.
Awareness of the legal and ethical issues associated with the use of psychological tests.
Knowledge of the different purposes for which tests are available and exposure to examples from a range of tests .

12. Introduction to Psychological Testing Learning Objective
Understand what is psychological testing.
Acquire knowledge about various types of psychological tests.
Example: CES-D.

13. Introduction to Psychological Testing Psychometric Theory
Psychological constructs.
Psychometric Theory provides researchers and psychologists with mathematical models used in considering responses to individual test items, entire tests, and sets of tests (Corsini & Auerbach, 1998).
Example of some statistical techniques employed to verify psychometric hypotheses.

14. Introduction to Psychological Testing Psychometric Theory
The following table shows the results of 6 students
in one exam that has been marked by 2 different markers .
Marker 1
Marker 2
Student
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4 1 9 6 2 8 5 4 7 3 10
Do the two assessments agree with each other?
What score should be given to each student?
How could we assign a grade?
Which question was the most difficult?

15. Introduction to Psychological Testing Psychometric Theory
First we introduce the data in PASW

16. Introduction to Psychological Testing Psychometric Theory
- Do the two assessments agree with each other?
1. Compute new variables: Sum_Score_Marker1
Sum_Score_Marker2

17. Introduction to Psychological Testing Psychometric Theory
2. Perform a correlation.

18. Introduction to Psychological Testing Psychometric Theory
What score should be given to each student?

19. Introduction to Psychological Testing Psychometric Theory
How should we assign a grade?

20. Introduction to Psychological Testing Psychometric Theory
Which question was the most difficult?
1. Compute new variables: Sum_Question_1
Sum_Question_2
Sum_Question_3
Sum_Question_4

21. Introduction to Psychological Testing Definition of Test
Test: a set of items designed to measure characteristics of human beings in relation to overt (observable) or covert (e.g., feelings, attitudes) behaviour.
Use: To obtain information fast and comparable to a reference group. Scales aid interpretation of test scores by relating raw scores on test items to a defined theoretical or empirical distribution.

22. Introduction to Psychological Testing Definition of Test
Provide a sample of behaviour.
Measure past or present behaviour, or predict future behaviour.
Performance may be related to
traits or enduring tendencies
or the state of an individual

23. Introduction to Psychological Testing Competency Requirements for Test Use
Psychological tests are those that only a registered psychologist is able to buy.
Test suppliers require evidence that the prospective purchaser is a registered psychologist.

24. Introduction to Psychological Testing Responsibilities of the Psychologist
Psychologists are held accountable for the professional judgments they make.
They may rely on tests, but
This does not absolve them from the responsibility for their professional opinions.
Selection and interpretation of tests is the responsibility of the psychologist not the test supplier.

25. Introduction to Psychological Testing Some Psychological Tests
Require professional training before administration.
Conceptual understanding before results can be meaningfully interpreted.
Without such, testing may result in damage to the client breaching the first ethical rule of ‘no harm to the client’.

26. Introduction to Psychological Testing Type of Tests
Individual Tests
Administered by a single examiner to one person.
Group Tests
Administered by a single examiner to several persons.

27. Intelligence Tests
Measure a person’s general potential to
solve problems
adapt to change
think abstractly
profit from experience

28. Uses of Intelligence Tests
Measure cognitive ability.
Ancillary uses such as
Clinical assessment
Memory
Brain dysfunction
Deterioration with age

29. Achievement Tests
Measure previous learning
e.g., multiple choice exam in this subject.

30. Aptitude Tests
Measure the person’s potential for learning, e.g., acquiring a new skill.
- For example, musical aptitude, potential to learn to play the piano if lessons taken.

31. Personality Tests
Measure the tendency of a person to behave or respond in particular way in a given situation.
-Structured (e.g. self -report with defined response options)
Cattell 16PF
Eysenck Personality Inventory
California Personality Inventory
-Unstructured
◊ Projective tests (e.g. Rorschach test)

32. Psychomotor Tests Test neurological and sensory functioning
Some require special tracking and monitoring equipment.
Paper and pencil tests (e.g. Bender- Gestalt).
Halstead-Reitan and Luria Psychomotor battery test selected aspects of neuropsychological functioning.

33. Educational Tests
Cognitive functioning (linguistic, quantitative, spatial and creative thinking).
Tests of specific ability (reading ability used for diagnostic and remedial work).

34. Vocational Tests Eg. Holland Vocational preference. Computer packages
SIGIPLUS (System of Interactive Guidance and Information).
Self-assessment
Practical suggestions
Skills
Preferences

35. Test Administration Learning Objectives
Awareness of factors which may influence an examinee’s performance on tests, and potential sources of error in behavioural assessment.
Knowledge of the advantages of using computer-assisted test administration.

36. Test Administration The Examiner and the Subject
Factors influencing test performance
The relationship.
Race of the tester.
Language of the test taker.
Training.
Expectancy effects.
Reinforcement of responses.
Mode of administration & Computer-assisted.
Person variables.

37. Test Administration Behavioural Assessment Methodology
Reactivity.
Drift.
Expectancies.
Halo effect.
Rating accuracy.

38. Interviewing Techniques Learning Objectives
Acquisition of skills in regard to effective interviewing such as professional attitude, responses to avoid, responses to facilitate interaction flow and empathic responses.

39. Interviewing Techniques Learning Objectives
To be able to distinguish between different types of interviews for the purposes of evaluation, mental status examination, employment decisions.
To be able to distinguish between structured vs. unstructured formats.

40. Interviewing Techniques Interviews
Structured.
Unstructured.

41. Interviewing Techniques Effective Interview
Proper Attitude.
Avoid:
Evaluative statements
Probing statements
Hostile statements
Reassuring statements

42. Interviewing Techniques Effective Interview
Open vs. close ended questions.
Responses to facilitate interaction flow:
Verbatim playback
Paraphrasing and restatement responses
Summarising and clarification responses
Empathy (5-point classification)
Transitional phrase

43. Interviewing Techniques 5-point classification scheme for empathic responses
Level-one responses
(no relationship to the interviewee’s response)
Level-two responses (superficial awareness of meaning of statement)
Level-three responses (paraphrasing, verbatim playback, clarification statements, restatement responses)

44. Interviewing Techniques 5-point classification scheme for empathic responses
Level-four responses
(interviewer adds noticeably to interviewee’s response)
Level-five responses
(interviewer adds significantly to interviewee’s responses)

45. Interviewing Techniques Types of Interviews
Evaluation interview.
Structured clinical interview.
(Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM  SCID)
Case history interview.
Mental status examination.
Employment interview.

46. Interviewing Techniques Source of Error
Interview validity
Halo effect, cultural differences, general appearance.
Interview reliability
Structured vs. unstructured interviews.
Examiner bias or focus.