Question 1

After an employer hires fifty widget wirers for the new plant,she gives them all the Widget Wiring Skills Test.If she later correlates scores on the test with the average daily production of widgets by the wirers,which aspect of the test is being assessed?
A)content validity
B)internal consistency
C)criterion validity

Accepted Answer

Criterion validity assesses how well a test predicts or correlates with a specific criterion or outcome. In this case, the employer is looking at how well the test scores predict the average daily production of widgets by the wirers, making this an assessment of criterion validity.

Question 2

Which general statement about test reliability and validity is most accurate?
A)A test that is not reliable is also not valid.
B)A test can be valid without also being reliable.
C)A test cannot be reliable without also being valid.
D)A test cannot be both reliable and valid.

Accepted Answer

A test that is not reliable (i.e. consistently measures the same thing over time) cannot be valid (i.e. accurately measures the concept it is intended to measure). Therefore, option A is the most accurate statement. Option B suggests that reliability is not necessary for validity, which is incorrect. Option C suggests that reliability is a necessary condition for validity, which is true, but not the most accurate statement. Option D is false, as tests can be both reliable and valid.

Question 3

As Beth repeatedly got on and off her bathroom scale one morning,she noticed that her weight was dramatically different each time.In the language of assessment,which term best describes her bathroom scale?
A)invalid.
B)nonstandard.
C)invariant.
D)unreliable.

Accepted Answer

The term that best describes Beth's bathroom scale is "unreliable" as it is producing dramatically different results each time, indicating an inconsistency in measurement. Choices A, B, and C do not fit the scenario as the scale is not necessarily invalid, nonstandard, or invariant, but rather simply unreliable in this specific instance.

Question 4

First the students groaned and then they let out a sigh of relief when the teacher realized her mistake.The test was supposed to be on the topic of the modern romance novel,but she inadvertently passed out exam questions that were intended for another course she was teaching on medieval poetry.What were the initial test questions lacking?
A)reliability.
B)criterion validity.
C)predictive validity.
D)construct validity.

Accepted Answer

The initial test questions lacked construct validity because they were intended for a course on medieval poetry and not modern romance novels.

Question 5

On the topic of genius,what position did Sir Francis Galton take?
A)Genius is a construct that does not exist.
B)Genius is determined by early childhood experiences.
C)There are more males than females in the genius category.
D)Genius is inherited.

Accepted Answer

Sir Francis Galton believed that genius is largely inherited through genetics. He coined the term "nature vs. nurture" in regards to intelligence and natural ability. Galton's work laid the foundation for the field of behavioral genetics.

Question 6

In the language of assessment,which term refers to a test that measures what an assessor intends it to measure?
A)reliable.
B)valid.
C)standardized.
D)invariant.

Accepted Answer

Validity refers to the extent to which a test measures what it is intended to measure. A test can be considered valid if it accurately assesses the knowledge or skills that it was designed to measure. Reliability refers to the consistency of the test results over time and across different scorers. Standardization refers to the process of ensuring that the test is administered and scored in a consistent manner, and invariant refers to something that does not change. While reliability, standardization, and invariance are important aspects of assessment, B is the best answer in this context.

Question 7

Susan is developing the norms for a creativity test.What should Susan ensure when selecting members of the comparison group?
A)That they are similar to the individuals who will be tested.
B)That they are different from the individuals who will be tested.
C)That they have average creativity scores.
D)That they have high creativity scores.

Accepted Answer

Susan should ensure that the members of the comparison group are similar to the individuals who will be tested. This is important because it helps to control for extraneous factors that may impact the results of the creativity test. By selecting a comparison group that is similar to the test group, Susan can increase the validity of the test results, as she will be able to better compare the performance of the two groups.

Question 8

A youngster is taking a test in a large room.The test administrator is very careful that everyone takes the test under the same conditions.Everyone hears exactly the same instructions,and is given the same amount of time.Which term best characterizes this type of test?
A)reliable.
B)standardized.
C)valid.
D)predictive.

Accepted Answer

This type of test is best characterized as standardized because the conditions and instructions are consistent for all test takers. A standardized test aims to measure a particular skill or knowledge level in a consistent and uniform way. The test's reliability and validity depend on its standardization process, which ensures that results are comparable across different test takers and test administrations. However, this question does not provide enough information to determine whether the test is reliable, valid, or predictive.

Question 9

How many years ago were psychological assessments first used on a large scale?
A)100
B)150
C)200
D)4,000

Accepted Answer

Psychological assessments were first used on a large scale around 4,000 years ago in ancient China, where they were used to evaluate civil servants.

Question 10

A woman is part of an investigation in which she is asked to take an intelligence test and then is informed that she will have to take the same test again in approximately two weeks.What type of reliability is being described?
A)test-retest
B)parallel forms
C)internal consistency
D)split-half

Accepted Answer

The type of reliability being described is test-retest, as the woman is being asked to take the same test again after an interval of approximately two weeks to see if her scores are consistent over time.

Question 11

Which of the following most likely constitutes a violation of standardization when administering a test?
A)All test takers are given the same form to fill out.
B)Due to excessive noise,some students are allowed to take more time to finish the test.
C)The same set of instructions are read to everyone who is taking the test.
D)Those taking the test are reminded of the amount of time left for the test,at 15-minute intervals.

Accepted Answer

Standardization requires that all test takers be given the same instructions and conditions to ensure fairness in their test scores. Giving some students extra time due to noise violates this principle.

Question 12

Carl is taking a test to assess his anxiety.The questions he is asked include "How anxious are you?" and "Do you feel anxious most of the time?" What type of validity does this test most likely have?
A)face
B)criterion
C)predictive
D)construct

Accepted Answer

The questions in the test directly measure anxiety as a concept, which is related to the face validity.

Question 13

The students' math scores are representative of a normal distribution.What can be assumed about the students' scores?
A)They are very high on average.
B)They are very low on average.
C)They are clustered in the middle and fewer are at the extremes.
D)They are clustered at the extremes and fewer are in the middle.

Accepted Answer

A normal distribution is symmetrical around the mean. Therefore, it can be assumed that the majority of the scores will be clustered around the middle (the mean) with fewer scores at the extremes.

Question 14

The project director for the latest test that is being developed informs her assistant that,because of certain concerns,she wants to use an internal consistency measure of reliability for this test.What approach should the assistant take?
A)give the test two different times to two different groups of people.
B)give the test two different times to the same group of people.
C)give the test only once.
D)compare the odd-numbered questions in the first testing with the odd-numbered questions on the second testing.

Accepted Answer

Internal consistency measures, like Cronbach's alpha, require the test to be administered only once to assess the consistency of responses across items within the test.

Question 15

Which statement about the scientific study of intelligence would most psychologists likely agree upon?
A)human intelligence can be represented by a single numerical score.
B)intelligence has many components that should be separately assessed.
C)there are several distinct kinds of intelligence,across different domains of experience.
D)there is a difference of opinion about the nature of intelligence.

Accepted Answer

Most psychologists agree that there is a difference of opinion about the nature of intelligence, as it is a complex and multifaceted construct with various theories and perspectives.

Question 16

In 1869,who wrote the highly influential book,Hereditary Genius?
A)Alfred Binet.
B)David Wechsler.
C)Sir Francis Galton.
D)Lewis Terman.

Accepted Answer

Sir Francis Galton wrote the highly influential book "Hereditary Genius" in 1869, which laid the foundation for the study of intelligence and the use of IQ tests. Alfred Binet, David Wechsler, and Lewis Terman are also important figures in the history of intelligence testing, but they did not write this particular book.

Question 17

If one is using the test-retest measurement of reliability,what will a perfectly reliable test yield?
A)a correlation coefficient of +1.00.
B)a correlation coefficient of 0.00.
C)comparable scores on parallel forms of the test.
D)high internal consistency on a measure of split-half reliability.

Accepted Answer

A perfectly reliable test using the test-retest measurement would yield a correlation coefficient of +1.00, indicating perfect positive correlation between the two administrations of the test.

Question 18

When the test-retest reliability correlation is measured,it is found to be 0.02.What does this value indicate?
A)the test is highly reliable.
B)the test will be reliable two times in every one thousand administrations.
C)the same individuals who received the highest and lowest scores on the first test did so on the second test.
D)the test is unreliable.

Accepted Answer

A test-retest reliability correlation of 0.02 indicates a very weak or low correlation between the scores on the first and second administrations of the test, suggesting that the test is unreliable.

Question 19

A researcher wants to determine if a test is reliable in terms of its internal consistency.Which approach would be most appropriate to take?
A)giving the same people the same test on two different occasions.
B)administering alternate parallel forms of exactly the same test twice.
C)comparing performance on odd- and even-numbered items.
D)training individuals carefully before allowing them to administer the test.

Accepted Answer

Comparing performance on odd- and even-numbered items is known as the split-half method, which is used to assess the internal consistency of a test.

Question 20

A man receives a score of 50 on "The Anger Potential Scale." To understand what this score means,what else is necessary?
A)to know the validity of the test.
B)to have access to statistical norms for the test.
C)to obtain collaborating information about the individual's anger from a trained professional.
D)to know if the test was administered using a standard protocol.

Accepted Answer

The score of 50 on "The Anger Potential Scale" tells us nothing without access to statistical norms for the test. The statistical norms will indicate whether a score of 50 is high, low, or average.

Quiz 10: A: Intelligence and Intelligence Assessment

After an employer hires fifty widget wirers for the new plant,she gives them all the Widget Wiring Skills Test.If she later correlates scores on the test with the average daily production of widgets by the wirers,which aspect of the test is being assessed?

Which general statement about test reliability and validity is most accurate?

As Beth repeatedly got on and off her bathroom scale one morning,she noticed that her weight was dramatically different each time.In the language of assessment,which term best describes her bathroom scale?

On the topic of genius,what position did Sir Francis Galton take?

In the language of assessment,which term refers to a test that measures what an assessor intends it to measure?

Susan is developing the norms for a creativity test.What should Susan ensure when selecting members of the comparison group?

A youngster is taking a test in a large room.The test administrator is very careful that everyone takes the test under the same conditions.Everyone hears exactly the same instructions,and is given the same amount of time.Which term best characterizes this type of test?

How many years ago were psychological assessments first used on a large scale?

A woman is part of an investigation in which she is asked to take an intelligence test and then is informed that she will have to take the same test again in approximately two weeks.What type of reliability is being described?

Which of the following most likely constitutes a violation of standardization when administering a test?

Carl is taking a test to assess his anxiety.The questions he is asked include "How anxious are you?" and "Do you feel anxious most of the time?" What type of validity does this test most likely have?

The students' math scores are representative of a normal distribution.What can be assumed about the students' scores?

The project director for the latest test that is being developed informs her assistant that,because of certain concerns,she wants to use an internal consistency measure of reliability for this test.What approach should the assistant take?

Which statement about the scientific study of intelligence would most psychologists likely agree upon?

In 1869,who wrote the highly influential book,Hereditary Genius?

If one is using the test-retest measurement of reliability,what will a perfectly reliable test yield?

When the test-retest reliability correlation is measured,it is found to be 0.02.What does this value indicate?

A researcher wants to determine if a test is reliable in terms of its internal consistency.Which approach would be most appropriate to take?

A man receives a score of 50 on "The Anger Potential Scale." To understand what this score means,what else is necessary?