Ppt 1/2 Flashcards
(85 cards)
What is a construct
- Constructs are hypothetical, can’t be touched
- Variables that are not directly observable, they represent behavioral tendencies or complex patterns of behavior and internal processes
- We can’t see it but we can see evidence or symptoms of a construct
Ex of Constructs
intelligence, anxiety, color blindness, schizophrenia, border line personality disorder
Ex: depression
Can see sad affect, but not actual depression
Ex of NOT constructs
Emotional intelligence– not a distinct construct even though its really popular
Type A personality
These are useful/heuristics we can understand
Constructs- what we do
We sometimes create constructs where there are none.
- We lump things together and don’t see distinct constructs
Popper quote
Goal is to “carve nature at its joints”
-discerning what makes up intelligence
- To know is it ‘this’ or ‘that’
Testing Definition
“the process of measuring psychologically related variables by means of devices or_ procedures designed to obtain a sample of behavior”
Testing
Used to assess constructs
Key to testing: a sample of behavior
“Tests are tools. In the hands of a fool or an unscrupulous person they become pseudoscientific perversions” (Tyler, 1962)
Fundamental Attribution Error
an individual’s tendency to attribute another’s actions to their character or personality, while attributing their behavior to external situational factors outside of their control
Assessment Definition
gathering and integration of psychology-related data for the purpose of making a psychological evaluation.
accomplished through the use of tools such as tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral observation, and specially designed apparatuses and measurement procedures”
Assessment vs testing
Broader concept, not as focused on measuring but instead focuses on understanding ct
We do tests, behavioral observations, interviews to draw conclusion and try to understand
Why Do Assessment? 7 reasons
- Identify or clarify a problem
- Determine the best environment for a person
- Advance justice
- Aid in matching people to opportunities
- Help someone better understand themselves
- short term therapeutic intervention
- *To protect against bias / human thinking errors
Acronym for: why do assessment
Think: Juice drink during as assessment
Perry
Enjoys
Juice
On
Unusual
Saturday
Brunches
Problem
Environment
Justice
Opportunities
Understand
Short Term intervention
Bias
Thinking Error- Altering Information
We tend to alter information if it contradicts our beliefs
Find some way to hold onto underlying belief
Thinking Error - Confirmation Bias
Ask question that might confirm our assumption
How to manage thinking errors
*Mindfulness
*Self observation
*Willingness to have 6th Sense Experiences
*Nomothetic measures can be helpful/essential
Our best defense against inaccurate conclusions
Using valid & reliable measures
Guard against bias/blindspots
Using multiple methods of measuring
Blend the various strengths and weaknesses every instrument inevitably has
incremental validity (aka efficient use)
Incremental validity is a type of validity that is used to determine whether a new psychometric assessment will increase the predictive ability beyond that provided by an existing method of assessment
Attributes of a Good Test
CLEAR-V acronym
- CLear instructions for administering, scoring and interpreting
*Efficient use (incremental validity)
*Accurate
*Reliability–consistency
*Validity–measures what it purports to measure
Take Aways from Assessment
*Do no harm (non-malfeasance)
*Do good (beneficence)
*Promote autonomy (informed consent)
- Be just (be fair)
New Measures in Assessment
Wartegg Drawing Completion (CWS)
Adult Attachment Projective
Thurston Cradock Test of Shame
Domains of assessment
*Personality assessment (traits and states)
*Intellectual assessment
*Neuropsychological assessment
*Vocational assessment
How are assessment scores impacted by other variables??
Ex: anxiety, cooperativeness, level of distress, luck, etc
BUT
research shows that most of these influences usually account for only a small part of the score variance
What is a major goal of psych assessment
To reduce/eliminate errors, misattributions,
mistakes in characterizations, inaccurate conclusions, etc.
How to reduce error.misattributions/ mistakes/innacurate conclusions in a test? (14)
Use valid & reliable measure
Use multiple methods of measuring
Be aware of thinking errors: anticipate making mistakes
Consider nature of data- what does it mean: (strengths, weaknesses, peculiarities)
Integrate conflicting data
Consider motivations/env of testing
Be sure you can systematically identify characteristics of
condition under consideration
Test indicators & their absence should be directly linked to these characteristics
Reconcile testing results with history
Systematically revise your impressions by considering data that temper your hypothesis
Make predictions of rare events sparingly
Use empirically validated, statistically derived algorithms when available
Use validity scales and symptom validity measures for distortions
Consider and profit from client feedback
