Assumptions and Norming

Question 1

What are the assumptions on psychological testing and assessment?

Answer 1

1. Assumption 1 — Psychological Traits and States Exist
2. Assumption 2 — Psychological Traits and States Can be Quantified and Measured
3. Assumption 3 — Test-Related Behavior Predicts Non-Test-Related Behavior
4. Assumption 4 — Tests and Other Measurement Techniques Have Strengths and Weaknesses
5. Assumption 5 — Various Sources of Error are Part of the Assessment Process
6. Assumption 6 — Testing and Assessment Can be Conducted in a Fair and Unbiased Manner
7. Assumption 7 — Testing and Assessment Benefit Society

Question 2

Psychological Trait

Answer 2

A distinguishable, relatively enduring way in which one individual varies from another (e.g., intelligence, adjustment).

Question 3

Psychological State

Answer 3

A way to distinguish individuals that is relatively less enduring than a trait.

Question 4

Construct

Answer 4

An informed, scientific concept developed to describe or explain behavior (e.g., cannot be directly observed).

Question 5

overt behavior

Answer 5

an observable action or the product of an observable action, including test- or
assessment-related responses

Question 6

How does the trait manifests?

Answer 6

situation-dependent

Question 7

Norm-Referenced Testing

Answer 7

Evaluation method comparing an individual’s score to a group of testtakers’ scores.

Question 8

What is the first assumption of psychological testing and assessment

Answer 8

Assumption 1 — Psychological Traits and States Exist

Question 9

test score is presumed to represent the strength of the targeted ability or trait or state
and is frequently based on _____________

Answer 9

cumulative scoring

Question 10

What is the second assumption of psychological testing and assessment?

Answer 10

Assumption 2 — Psychological Traits and States Can be Quantified and Measured: Test developers and researchers, much like people in general, have many different ways of looking at and defining the same phenomenon

Question 11

Criterion-Referenced Testing

Answer 11

Evaluation method comparing an individual’s score to a set standard (e.g., passing grade).

Question 12

Standardization

Answer 12

Process of administering a test to a representative sample to establish norms.

Question 13

Stratified Sampling

Answer 13

Sampling method including subgroups (strata) to prevent bias

Question 14

What is the third assumption of psychological testing and assessment

Answer 14

Assumption 3 — Test-Related Behavior Predicts Non-Test-Related Behavior: the objective of the test is to provide some indication of other aspects of the examinee’s
behavior

Question 15

Postdict

Answer 15

aid in the understanding of behavior that has already taken place

Question 16

Percentile

Answer 16

A score at or below which a certain percentage of testtakers fall (e.g., 15th percentile).

Question 17

Mental Age

Answer 17

Concept comparing a child’s intellectual ability to the average performance of a specific age group.

Question 18

What is the fourth assumption of psychological testing and assessment?

Answer 18

Assumption 4 — Tests and Other Measurement Techniques Have Strengths and Weaknesses: competent test users understand and appreciate the limitations of the tests they use as well as how those limitations might be compensated for by data from other sources

Question 19

What is the fifth assumption of psychological testing and assessment

Answer 19

Assumption 5 — Various Sources of Error are Part of the Assessment Process

Question 20

error

Answer 20

assumption that factors other than what a test attempts to measure will influence
performance on the test

Question 21

error variance

Answer 21

component of a test score attributable to sources other than the trait or ability
measured

Question 22

What are the possible sources of error variance

Answer 22

1. the testtaker
2. the assessor
3. the measuring instruments themselves

Question 23

Classical Test Theory or True Score Theory

Answer 23

assumption is made that each testtaker has a true score on a test that would be
obtained but for the action of the measurement error

Question 24

An observable action or product of an action used to infer psychological constructs

Answer 24

Overt Behavior

Question 25

The process of deriving norms for test interpretation

Answer 25

Norming

Question 26

Test scores anchored to a fixed reference group from past administrations.

Answer 26

Fixed Reference Group Scoring System

Question 27

Sampling method where subjects are selected based on availability.

Answer 27

Convenience Sampling

Question 28

The average performance of testtakers in a specific school grade

Answer 28

Grade Norms

Question 29

Statistic estimating how much an observed score deviates from a true score

Answer 29

Standard Error of Measurement

Question 30

A standard on which a judgment or decision is based (e.g., passing score)

Answer 30

Criterion

Question 31

Tendency of children to maintain percentile rank relative to peers over time

Answer 31

Tracking

Question 32

What is the sixth assumption of psychological testing and assessment?

Answer 32

Assumption 6 — Testing and Assessment Can be Conducted in a Fair and Unbiased Manner: tests are tools and just like other tools, they can be used properly or improperly by the test user.

Question 33

A _____ is a relatively enduring way individuals vary (e.g., intelligence)

Answer 33

Trait

Question 34

The _____ sample is the group used to establish test reference scores.

Answer 34

Normative

Question 35

A score at the 50th percentile means the testtaker performed better than _____% of the group

Answer 35

50

Question 36

_____-referenced testing evaluates performance against a set standard.

Answer 36

Criterion

Question 37

Race norming is controversial because it adjusts scores based on _____

Answer 37

Ethnic background

Question 38

What is the seventh assumption of psychological testing and assessment

Answer 38

Assumption 7 — Testing and Assessment Benefit Society: the existence of tests and assessment is very beneficial to society as it is critical to many decisions in everyday life

Question 39

Race norming

Answer 39

norming on the basis of race or ethnic background

Question 40

User Norms or Program Norms

Answer 40

Compares a test or the performance of a group without the formal assessment process.

Question 41

Selecting some sample because it is believed to be representative of the population

Answer 41

Purposive sampling

Question 42

percentage correct

Answer 42

Distribution of raw scores to the number of items that were answered correctly multiplied by 100 and divided by the total number of items

Question 43

What is developmental norms

Answer 43

- grade norms and age norms - norms developed on the basis of any trait, ability, skill, or other characteristic that is presumed to develop, deteriorate, or otherwise be affected by chronological age, school grade, or stage of life

Question 44

Sampling method where subgroups are represented proportionally

Answer 44

Stratified Random Sampling

Question 45

The _____ method links scores from different tests using percentile ranks

Answer 45

Equipercentile

Question 46

_____ sampling selects subjects based on researcher judgment

Answer 46

Purposive

Question 47

The theory assumes a true score exists but error exists

Answer 47

Classical Test Theory

Question 48

covert

Answer 48

Refers to internal mental processes like thoughts, feelings, or motivations

Question 49

Developmental Norms

Answer 49

Norms based on traits affected by age/grade (e.g., mental age).

Question 50

What is the differene of chronological age and mental age?

Answer 50

Chronological age is the actual time passed since the person's birth, while mental age is the level at which a person performs based on standardized test scores.