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Psychological Test
Definition: - A Psychological test is a standardized measure of a sample of a person’s behaviour that is used to measure the individual differences that exist among people. A psychological test is an objective and standardized measure of an individual’s mental and/or behavioural characteristics. A Psychological test is a systematic procedure or observing person’s behaviour or performing, describing it with the aid of a numerical scale or category system. Mostly tests are used as a way of measuring differences between people or differences in the same person over time. Psychological tests are written, visual, or verbal evaluations administered to assess the cognitive and emotional functioning of children and adults.
Need for psychological test: -
- Identifies weaknesses and strength
- Supports individualized lesson plans
- Enables placement decisions
- Monitors progress
- Identifying disabilities
- Helping the administrative and academic works
- Vocational ability.
For children, academic achievement, ability psychological tests may be used as tools in school placement, in determining the presence of a learning disability or a developmental delay in identifying giftedness, or in tracking intellectual development. It may also be used with teens and young adults to determine vocational ability (e.g., in career counselling). Tests are administered for a wide variety of reasons, from diagnosing psychopathology (e.g., personality disorder, depressive disorder) to screening job candidates. They may be used in an educational setting to determine personality strengths and weaknesses.
Major Uses of Tests: - The basic use of tests is to provide information for decision makers.
- Selection or placement
- Diagnosis
- Accountability evaluations
- Judging progress and following trends
- Self‐ discovery
Main Characteristics of a Good Psychological Test
Five main characteristics of a good psychological test are as follows: 1. Objectivity 2.
Reliability 3. Validity 4. Norms 5. Practicability!
- Objectivity: The test should be free from subjective—judgement regarding the ability,
skill, knowledge, trait or potentiality to be measured and evaluated.
- Reliability: This refers to the extent to which they obtained results are consistent or
reliable.
When the test is administered on the same sample for more than once with a reasonable gap
of time, a reliable test will yield same scores. It means the test is trustworthy. There are many
methods of testing reliability of a test.
- Validity: It refers to extent to which the test measures what it intends to measure. For
example, when an intelligent test is developed to assess the level of intelligence, it should
assess the intelligence of the person, not other factors.
Validity explains us whether the test fulfils the objective of its development. There are many
methods to assess validity of a test.
- Norms: Norms refer to the average performance of a representative sample on a given test.
It gives a picture of average standard of a particular sample in a particular aspect. Norms are
the standard scores, developed by the person who develops test. The future users of the test
can compare their scores with norms to know the level of their sample.
- Practicability: The test must be practicable in- time required for completion, the length,
number of items or questions, scoring, etc. The test should not be too lengthy and difficult to
answer as well as scoring.
Different Types of Test:-
Psychological tests can be various types; designed to measure different elements of human brain development. You can go through a few major categories of the psychological tests.
Intelligence Tests: - These of course measure the level of intelligence present in the individual. It also assesses the person’s ability to relate to its foreign environment. Some of the well-known and widely used tests of this category are, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
Personality Tests: - These tests measure the type and traits of the individual’s personality. These tests are used for clinical purposes. Examples of some commonly known attitude tests are as follows, Rorschach or Inkblot test Thematic Apperception Test Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory or MMPI
Attitude Tests: - The individual’s attitude towards the environment, other people or places is judged in this kind of test. Some common examples are, Likert Scale Thurstone Scale
Need for School Record : The modern type of Cumulative Record was first made available in 1928 by the American Council on education. The need for such a record was felt in view of an inadequate information that was contained in the various forms as available. The Secondary Education Commission has made the following observations regarding the need for School records “neither the external examination singly or together can give a correct and complete picture of a pupils all round progress at any particular age of his education, yet it is imparted for us to assess this in order to determine his future course of study or his future vocation.”
For this purpose, a proper system of school records should be maintained for every pupil indicating the work done by him in the school from day to day, month to month, term-to-term and year to year. Such a school record will present a clear and continuous statement of the attainment of the child in different intellectual pursuits through-out the successive stages of his education. It will also contain a progressive evolution of development in other directions of no less importance such as the growth of his interest, aptitudes and personal traits, his social adjustments, the practical and social activities in which he takes part.
Characteristics of Cumulative Record:
The Cumulative Record is characterised in the following grounds: (i) The Cumulative Record is a permanent record about the pupil or student.
(ii) It is maintained up-to-date. Whenever any new information is obtained about the pupil it is entered in the card.
(iii) It presents a complete picture about the educational progress of the pupil, his past achievements and present standing.
(iv) It is comprehensive in the sense that it contains all information about the pupil’s attendance, test scores, health etc. (v) It contains only those information’s which are authentic, reliable, pertinent, objective and useful.
(vi) It is continuous in the sense that it contains information about the pupil from the time he enters for pre-school education or kindergarten system till he leaves the school.
(vii) Whenever any information is desired by any-body concerned with the welfare of the child he should be given the information but not the card itself.
(viii) Confidential information about the pupil is not entered in the CRC but kept in a separate file.
Basic Principles that Should Govern the Maintenance of the CRC: Data contained in the cumulative record card (CRC) should be:
- Accurate
- Complete
- Comprehensive
- Objective
- Usable
- Valid
(i) Keeping of record is a continuous process and should cover the whole history from pre- school or kindergarten to the college and this should follow the child from school. The Card will furnish valuable information’s about the growth of a child and the new school can place him and deal with him to a greater advantage.
(ii) All the teachers and the guidance workers should have access to these records. Matters too confidential may be kept at a separate place. The child concerned may have an opportunity to study his own Cumulative Record in consultation with the counsellor.
(iii) The essential data should be kept in a simple, concise and readable form so that it may be convenient to find out the main points of life of the child at a glance.
(iv) Records should be based on an objective data. They should be as reliable as possible.
(v) The record system should provide for a minimum of repetition of items.
(vi) It should contain reliable, accurate and objective information. (vii) A manual should be prepared and directions for the guidance of persons, feeling out of using the records given in it.
(viii) The record should be maintained by the counsellor and should not be circulated throughout the faculty for making entries on it by other members of the staff. These entries should made by them on other forms and the entry in this card should be made very carefully by counsellor.
Types of Information Maintained in the-CRC :
The types of information which are collected and entered or included in the CRC are as follows:
1. Identification Data: Name of the pupil, sex, father’s name, admission No., date of birth, class, section, any other information that helps in easy location of the card. 2. Environmental and Background Data: Home-neighbourhood influences, socio- economic status of the family, cultural status of the family, number of brothers and sisters, their educational background, occupations of the members of the family. 3. Physical Data: Weight, height, illness, physical disabilities, etc.
Anecdotal Record: -
An anecdotal record is a short, objective, descriptive summary of one event or incident writing down after the event has taken place. You often use anecdotes and telling your friends a story about something that happened over the weekend or something cute or funny your child did. A classroom anecdotal record differs a little bit in that the purpose is to learn something specific about the child. This is a very relaxed method of recording observations. The observer does not need any special forms to fill out, no particular setting, and no time limitations. Anecdotal records are simply brief stories about something that happened.
Characteristics: -
- They should contain a factual description of what happened, when it happened and under what circumstance the behaviour occurred.
- Each record should contain a record of single incident.
- The incident record should be that is considered to significant to the pupil’s growth and development.
- The exact behaviour of the student should be recorded inference, guesses or assumptions must be avoided, unless it signifies.
- The record should be regarded as confidential.
- The act as supplement for other records.
Principles: -
Concentrate on only one or two behaviour observation should be selective. Record should be complete. They should be kept by all teachers and not only by the student teacher. Record the incident or action as soon as possible after it has happened. They should have a compiled and filled. Setting background of the incident. Recommendation concerning the behaviour
Merits: - Use of formative feedback Economical and easy to develop Provision of insight into total behaviour incident It help in clinical service practices Record critical incidents of spontaneous behaviour in natural setting Can be used as supplement to quantitative date Stimulate teacher to use in record and contribute to them.
Case Study: =
The credit of introducing case study method goes to Frederic Leplay, an English philosopher. Herbert Spencer adopted it and Healey was the first who supported this method and studied Juvenile Delinquency. Later on sociologists, Anthropologists, Ethnologists and other researcher were interested in the study of various cultures by case study method. A case study is a comprehensive study of a social unit of society, which may be a person, family group, institution, community or event. A case study focuses attention on a single unit thoroughly. The aim is that to find out the influencing factors of a social unit and the relationship between these factors and a social unit.
- P.V. Young. Case study is a comprehensive study of a social unit, be it a person, a group of persons, an institution, a community or a family.
- Groode and Hatt. it is a method of exploring and analyzing the life of a social unit.
- C.H. Cooley. Case study depends our perception and gives clear insight into life directory.
- Johoda. Case study is a small inclusive and intensive study of an individual in which investigators brings to bear their skills and method.
Keeping the above definitions in view we conclude that case study is a method of studying a social unit and its aspects deeply and thoroughly.
Characteristics: - Following are the characteristics
- The number of unit to be studied is small.
- It studies a social unit deeply and thoroughly.
- It is qualitative as well as quantitative.
- It covers sufficient wide cycle of time.
- It has continuity in nature.
- Scientific
- Reliable
- Valid method
- Use for diagnostics and further remedial teaching
- Provides complete information about individual’s behaviour
Types:-
- Historical = holistic analysis and description from a historical perspective. Preferred when there is virtually no access or control.
- Observational = participant observation supplemented with formal and informal interviews.
- Illustrative = utilizes one or two instances of an event to show what a situation is like. Tries to make the unfamiliar to familiar and to give readers a common language about the topic in question.
- Exploratory = to help identify questions and select types of measurement prior to the main investigation.
- Cumulative = collection of past studies allow for greater generalization without additional cost or time being expended on new possibly repetitive studies.
the interviews happen in several waves, with the first interview sometimes being called a screening interview which is a shorter length interview, followed by more in-depth interviews later on, usually by company personnel who can ultimately hire the applicant. Technology has enabled new possibilities for interviewing; for example, video phoning technology has enabled applicants to interview for jobs despite being in different cities or countries than the interviewer.
Psychology. Psychologists use a variety of interviewing methods and techniques to try to understand and help their patients. In a psychiatric interview, a psychiatrist or psychologist or nurse asks a battery of questions to complete what is called a psychiatric assessment. Sometimes two people are interviewed by an interviewer, with one format being called couple interviews. Criminologists and detectives sometimes use cognitive interviews on eyewitnesses and victims to try to ascertain what can be recalled specifically from a crime scene, hopefully before the specific memories begin to fade in the mind.
Research. In marketing research and academic research, interviews are used in a wide variety of ways as a method to do extensive personality tests. Interviews are often used in qualitative research in which firms try to understand how consumers think. Consumer research firms sometimes use computer-assisted telephone interviewing to randomly dial phone numbers to conduct highly structured telephone interviews, with scripted questions and responses entered directly into the computer.
Journalism and other media. Typically, reporters covering a story in journalism conduct interviews over the phone and in person to gain information for subsequent publication. Reporters also interview government officials and political candidates for broadcast. In a talk show, a radio or television "host" interviews one or more people, with the topic usually chosen by the host, sometimes for the purposes of entertainment, sometimes for informational purposes. Such interviews are often recorded.
Other situations. Sometimes college representatives or alumni conduct college interviews with prospective students as a way of assessing a student's suitability while offering the student a chance to learn more about a college. Some services specialize in coaching people for interviews. Embassy officials may conduct interviews with applicants for student visas before approving their visa applications.
Blind Interview. In a blind interview the identity of the interviewee is concealed so as to reduce interviewer bias. Blind interviews are sometimes used in the software industry and are standard in orchestral auditions. Blind interviews have been shown in some cases to increase the hiring of minorities and women.
Objectives of Interview =
Following are the main objectives of interview.
- Collect information’s about an existing social problem
- Create relation between interviewer and interviewee
- Gain inner feelings of the respondent
- Create a source of knowledge
- Provide rich hypothesis
- Reduce the distance between human beings
- Observe the situation quickly
- Collect additional information’s
- Draw quantitative facts.
- Gain new knowledge about an area.
Types of Interview Methods:
1. Behavioural based interview: Behavioural based interviews are based on the behaviour and the past experiences of the interviewer. It is also based on the past performance of the candidate. For such purposes, STAR based behavioural interviews are done.
The STAR based behavioural interview questions consist of situations, task, action and result. These serve as a framework for describing different situations or tasks and defining the actions that you took and what the result obtained was. When stating such facts try to remember that the main purpose of such interviews is that they are trying to find an able leader who is optimistic, creative and a team player.
2. Case interviews: Case interviews are one of the most commonly used forms of interview methods. In this type of interview, the interviewer presents a scenario to the candidate and expects the candidate to solve the questions with a proper solution and an alternative method or further suggestions to the question.
The candidate is tasked with working along with the details. Case questions may vary depending upon the job position. In some cases, the interviewer tries to find a candidate that is suitable for implementing long term strategies and processes while in other cases, they tend to find candidates who are calm and composed in case of any emergency situations. They are expected to answer such case scenarios immediately. Since these kinds of questions take proper thinking and planning, these type of interviews are usually half an hour long.
3. Informational interviews: These types of interviews do not include any kind of performance pressures. These are basically used as a form of information for the candidate as a chance to compare their expectations about the job to the position that they have applied for. Candidates get the opportunity to speak with the current employees in the corresponding job position. They try to make this as a chance to carefully think about the position and try to search for its more positive and less positive aspects of the position. For example, if the candidate is interested in working in the publishing industry, try to meet up with fellow employees in the organization and learn more about the business. This helps both the employers and the employees at the same time to make proper decisions. Informational interviews are always less than half an hour. Both the employer and the employee should prepare questions beforehand, prior to the interview.
Objectives of Interviews: The interview is an essential step in the recruiting process. The hiring procedure cannot be accomplished without the interview.The main objectives of the interview process are
- Collecting data – both extensively and intensively.
- Exchanging data and also the experiences.
on either side to focus. It is quicker and cheaper when compared to face to face interviews. Can reach to long-distance easily. Also can reject candidates at the beginning itself. Though there could happen few hindrances like background distraction, bad signal, another call coming in, and the worst part is that you cannot hide it, as you can both see each other.
Advantages of Interview:
A structured interview method is possible to reach a large number of people at the same time. A representative sample is possible and questions and answers can be modelled on such samples and models. Questions can be structured and answered in a way that is easy for the candidates to answer. Hence, a clear perspective and opinion can be received. Less dependency on electronic recording devices. For example: face to face interviews. Moreover, it creates a very little room for any form of confusion or misinterpretation of the questions asked. Interview methods are more personal in nature. The candidates feel more confident in answering through such processes. These types of interviews always use a closed set of questions, hence they are limited in number. This can create a definite impression about the candidate and hence can be used as a reliable method for choosing the right candidate. Interview methods are great for creating quantitative data. Hence, they can be more flexible and can be applied to various other processes. Structured interviews are comparatively easier to conduct and analyse and since they are limited to a group of the population, they act as a great tool for conducting surveys and data collection. A large population base can be reached within a short period of time through various interview methods. Unstructured interview questions can be made more flexible and adaptive depending on the candidate’s answers. Unstructured interview questions can be used for creating qualitative data. This gives a chance to the respondent to frame the answers in their own words. This shows the employer how much the respondent knows about the whole situation. Interview methods also have a deeper validity and originality since the employer tries to probe through the candidate to get some valued remarks and information about what they think about the company and how a third person sees the company as. Interview questions also give the employer to know what all expectations the respondent has towards the company The respondent steers the course of the interview in case of a structured and unstructured interview. Try to ask for clarification and other aspects before and allow the interviewee to steer the direction of the interview. Group interviews can make the candidate feel less awkward since they might feel more comfortable talking in groups rather than conversing with a single person.
Disadvantages of Interviews:
Structured interviews are usually non-flexible, and thus new questions are not usually asked since such interview patterns have a strict time to follow and have a certain time limit. Structured interviews create quantitative data and hence a lack of detail can be formed. This means the interviewer won’t know why a candidate behaves this way. For unstructured or unplanned interviews, it is difficult to collect all the necessary data and analysis of such data will take time since they are less specific and cover more areas and aspects of the subject. Employing interviewers and trainers can be expensive. This can lead to more capital spent by the company during the recruitment process. A great way to tackle this is by conducting surveys or sending out questionnaires to the target audience and the people to be interviewed. Certain skills may be needed to be probed and verified. In this case, an interview is indispensable. Interviewers have to cross-check the facts and try to make sure that the candidate is truly interested and is fully adaptable and talented enough to join the post. Another main disadvantage of interviews is the handling of the personal information of the candidates. They have to make sure the personal information of the candidates are kept safe and have to be ensured that they won’t be misused that easily. Group interviewees have to be made sure that they won’t disclose the private information of the candidate to others. Trust is the basic factor that needs to be seen by the company and the organisation should make sure that the recruiters are following the rules of privacy set by the organisation. Group interviews tend to use more open-minded questions that can deviate the interview from its path and hence can lead to more loss in time. This also makes it difficult to repeat the questions to the next candidate. Hence, the interview process tends to be more biased. Group interviews may tend to lack validity as the candidates may lie to the panel so as to impress them. This can be because of the peer pressure and the desire to get the job position. Always try to cross check if all the answers are true and try to point out if you feel unsure about the candidate’s response. This helps the interview panel to select the right candidate.
How to Design Interviews:
- Try to fix whether the interview is structured, unstructured or group interviews.
- The next step is to determine who will be the interviewer. This depends on who is going to be interviewed. This depends on what basis the interview is taking place and for what position is the interview for.
- There are three other factors that should be noted while selecting the type of interviewer. These are: Gender and age: This confirms what kind of a person the company is looking for a job. Personal characteristic:This defines the personality of the candidate. This is very important for jobs which requires teamwork on a day to day basis. Also, it shows how the interviewer carries themselves through the clothes that they wear and so on. Ethnicity:Some type of interviewers has problems interviewing people of different ethnicity. This may be due to language problems or cultural differences.
