test adminitration notes, Summaries of Psychology

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TEST ADMINISTRATION

PSYC 3200 Winter 2026

WARM UP

• Grab a partner and take turns talking about a time when you took a test that you feel you did not perform as well as you could have but not due to not knowing the content?

FIRST…, VARIETIES OF TEST CONDITIONS

• People complete measures under a large range of conditions
• At home, in front of the TV
• Sitting in front of a computer also doing who knows what
• At a pre-specified location
• Laboratory
• Interview style
• One on one
• Group administration

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS THE STRONGEST EFFECT ON TEST 1:1 PERFORMANCE?

• A. The relationship between the test administrator and test taker?
• B. The demographics of the test administrator??
• C. The demographics of the test taker?
• D. The test takers expectation about the test?

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXAMINER AND TEST TAKER

• Examiners’ behavior as well as their relationship to the test taker can affect test scores
• Early study by Feldman and Sullivan (1960) contrasted two conditions, enhanced rapport vs. neutral rapport.
  • For some age groups (not youngest) score discrepancy was dramatic
• Other studies have found that supportive comments by the administrator also had a positive impact on results
• Even subtle cues — ones the administrator may be unaware of — can be important

RACE OF THE TESTER (EXAMINER)

• Research is unclear on the extent to which the test taker and subject being of the same or different race affects outcomes
• Testing is supposed to be done according to standardized administration procedures
• Perhaps the simple presence of a test taker of a different race is enough to cause an effect
  • Was earlier research showing an absence of impact affected by bias?
• There may be some impact of allowing the test taker’s latitude in how items are presented

STEREOTYPE THREAT: THE PROBLEM

• With equal preparation for college entrance exams African Americans (on average) underperform relative to White students.
• By puberty females start to underperform relative to males in mathematics achievement tests (and confidence about same)
• This all adds up to uneven access to resources and opportunities.
  • E.g., advanced placement programs.
• Under-representation in certain fields, thus careers.

WHY DOES THIS OCCUR?

• No definitive answers but some working hypotheses
  • Stereotype threat depletes cognitive resources such as working memory
  • Self-handicapping can lead to reduced effort and performance
    • Victim blaming?
  • Causes physiological arousal that disrupts performance (perhaps by affecting cognitive resources)

EXPECTANCY EFFECTS

• Rosenthal Effects – observations can be impacted by what experiment(er) expects to find.
  • Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research – were results due in part to Rosenthal Effects?
• Imagine you are working as a psychometrist. An adolescent comes in for an assessment, beginning with administering the appropriate Wechsler Scale.
  • You are told the young person is the son/daughter of accomplished parents (maybe neurosurgeons)
  • You are told the young person is the son/daughter of poor parents who have unstable income due to a lack of education.

SUCH A PHENOMENON COULD MANIFEST IN OTHER TYPES OF MEASURES

• Imagine you are trying to obtain data about a sensitive topic, such as driving while intoxicated. Imagine some different questions.
  • 1. Have you ever driven while intoxicated. For instance, imbibing the equivalent of three or more drinks over a two-hour period?
  • 1. Though it is not appropriate, it is common for people to drive after having imbibed three or more drinks over a two-hour period. Have you ever done this?

MODE OF ADMINISTRATION & SUBJECT VARIABLES

• Mode of Administration
  • There has been considerable research comparing traditional paper and pencil surveys versus computer administered.
• Subject Variables
  • Transient conditions (headache, mild illness)
  • Non-transient conditions such as test anxiety