Deck 21: The Future of Psychological Testing

Question 1

Studies have indicated that the temporal stability of tests is

A)in need of improvement, even for the best tests.
B)at acceptable levels, at least for the better tests.
C)at acceptable levels for most, if not all, tests.
D)has not had an effect on reliability.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The most recent psychological tests are based in

A)technology.
B)cognitive theories.
C)rigorous validation studies.
D)the predictions of trained professionals.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is a responsibility of potential test takers?

A)Knowing and demanding their rights
B)Understanding the validity of tests
C)Selecting which tests to take
D)Relinquishing their privacy rights

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Studies on actuarial vs. clinical prediction by Meehl, Sawyer, and Sines have indicated that a set of rules is

A)more accurate than inexperienced professional practitioners.
B)about as accurate as trained.
C)more accurate than trained professional practitioners only when they don't know the rules.
D)more accurate than the interpretations of trained professional practitioners even when they know the rules.

Question 5

Which of the following is true about how tests are used?

A)In the end, it may be determined by law and the threat of litigation.
B)There is substantial evidence of the intentional misuse of tests.
C)The use of tests has declined sharply in the past 20 years.
D)It is very difficult to use tests appropriately.

Question 6

Under what circumstances is informed consent not required for testing?

A)When the individual cannot consent to testing
B)When testing is ordered by the courts
C)When testing uses a well-established procedure
D)When the individual does not want to be tested but the clinician views testing as critical

Question 7

Sawyer (1966)and Sines (1970)examined studies in which test results were interpreted by a set of rules and compared them to studies in which trained professionals interpreted the test results. They found that ​

A)the professionals were more accurate than the set of rules.
B)the set of rules was more accurate than the trained professionals.
C)there was no difference between the set of rules and the professionals.
D)the professionals were more accurate, but only when they knew the rules.

Question 8

A theory consistent with the data concerning the reliability of tests would propose that

A)ability and personality are ever-changing.
B)ability and personality are not measurable.
C)humans possess an ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
D)personality is static and enduring.

Question 9

Which of the following issues is classified by your text as a theoretical concern?

A)Whether the systematic sources of variance measured by the test arise from the person or the setting
B)Whether the test meets the ethical and legal standards for testing
C)Whether the results of the test will be used to unfairly label the test taker
D)Whether the test has adequate reliability, validity, and norms

Question 10

According to your text, the real issue in testing is

A)how reliable tests are.
B)whether tests have predictive validity.
C)what tests actually measure.
D)how tests are used.

Question 11

Which of the following is true of test security?

A)Test security takes precedence over individuals' rights to know, because society has a vested interest in testing.
B)Test security cannot be predicted at the expense of an individual's right to know the basis of adverse decisions.
C)The Internet has destroyed the last vestiges of test security.
D)Test security is important for achievement and intelligence tests, but not for other types of tests.

Question 12

The new technologies of testing would be well served by measuring behavior in the _______ context.

A)neurological
B)genetic
C)social
D)political

Question 13

Under what circumstances have clinicians been found to provide better prediction than actuarial data?

A)None; clinicians are, at best, as good as actuarial data.
B)When clinicians consider additional sources of data such as test batteries, interviews or test histories
C)When clinicians have more than five years of experience
D)When tests involve complex scoring algorithms

Question 14

Behavioral dispositions are

A)dysfunctional behaviors.
B)stable and lasting traits.
C)transient personality states.
D)innate.

Question 15

A 2011 survey of independent practitioners about their use of technology found that

A)considerable cost savings result from the use of technology.
B)they were unsure about what uses of computer technology were ethical and which were unethical.
C)recent changes in billing regulations forced them to implement technologies they did not understand.
D)the use of computer technology is widespread and has greatly increased productivity.

Question 16

Which of the following is of particular concern when computers are used to score and interpret the results of complex psychological tests?

A)invasion of privacy
B)violation of consent
C)improper use of standardization
D)dehumanization

Question 17

When we say a test has reliability,

A)we are implying that test results are attributable to a systematic source of variance.
B)the test is presumed to measure some unknown entity.
C)the test also has validity.
D)there is no limit on the test's validity.

Question 18

Two major professional issues in testing are

A)ethical and moral issues.
B)theoretical concerns and the adequacy of tests.
C)social and legal issues.
D)actuarial vs. clinical prediction and ethical issues.

Question 19

Most existing tests are presumed to measure

A)interactions between the individual and the environment.
B)a stable entity.
C)overall human functioning.
D)adaptability to change.

Question 20

The authors of your textbook have suggested that one reason for the relatively poor long-term reliability of personality tests is that

A)the tests are not really measuring personality.
B)personality is too broad of a construct to adequately measure.
C)personality tests are too vague and subjective.
D)although people exhibit a core of stability, they continually change.

Question 21

In order to resolve the conflict of divided loyalties, a psychologist must

A)inform all concerned parties where his/her loyalty lies.
B)protect the rights of the client only.
C)provide all information obtained to all parties.
D)protect the rights of the institution only.

Question 22

At the present time, psychologists

A)must tell clients in advance how tests will be used and describe the limits of confidentiality.
B)are not ethically bound to tell clients where their loyalty lies.
C)must provide full disclosure to the institution that ordered the testing.
D)are bound to maintain test security even if it violates the person's right to know.

Question 23

While many individual and group tests have generally adequate reliability, just about any test could benefit from

A)better validity documentation.
B)a larger standardization sample.
C)more representative norms.
D)simplified scoring techniques.

Question 24

An investigation of tests by the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights and the House Subcommittee on Invasion of Privacy found

A)evidence of deliberate misuse of tests.
B)evidence of widespread but not deliberate misuse of tests.
C)no evidence of widespread or deliberate use of tests.
D)evidence of both widespread and deliberate misuse of tests.

Question 25

The more accurate a test, the more ________ the results should be.

A)complex
B)generalizable
C)stable
D)unbiased

Question 26

Jackson and Messick have argued that it has not been possible to formulate a coherent set of ethical principles that govern all legitimate uses of testing. This is because of

A)invasion of privacy.
B)human rights.
C)divided loyalties.
D)moral issues.

Question 27

The 2002 version of the APA Code of Ethics directs psychologists who administer tests to

A)utilize tests that are written in English.
B)interpret results in a standardized, objective fashion.
C)use instruments with established validity and reliability for use with members of the population being tested.
D)use instruments that have validity and reliability in studies using representative samples of the general population.

Question 28

The use of labels that rely on the medical model

A)encourages people to seek medical treatment.
B)may keep people from taking responsibility for their life.
C)gives people the impression that medication will cure any condition.
D)implies that the individual is to blame for becoming ill.

Question 29

According to the ethical code of the APA (2002), test results

A)can never be shared with anyone except the examinee.
B)should never be shared with the examinee.
C)can be subpoenaed and, therefore, are not always confidential.
D)should only be shared with the individual and his/her family.

Question 30

One recent trend in testing has been that

A)fewer and fewer new tests are being published each year.
B)hundreds of new tests are being published each year.
C)the public has had less and less influence on the testing field.
D)objectivity is being greatly reduced in test scoring to increase flexibility.

Question 31

When testing is necessary in order to determine pathology,

A)projective tests such as the Rorschach should be used.
B)it is better to over assess than under assess the pathology.
C)tests that overpathologize, like the Rorschach, should be avoided.
D)labels will only help to define the problem.

Question 32

The question of who will have access to psychological testing services is presented in the text as a(n)

A)legal issue.
B)economic issue.
C)social issue.
D)issue of human rights.

Question 33

Current standards for test use state that the test developer(s)must provide sufficient information to permit appropriate use of the test. Which of the following does not have to be included in this information?

A)guidelines for administration and scoring
B)information regarding item construction
C)validity data
D)reliability data

Question 34

The APA provides an exception to confidentiality guidelines when

A)the client's spouse needs to access the information.
B)withholding information causes danger to the person or society.
C)the psychologist needs the information for research.
D)the information would make a difference to a potential employer.

Question 35

According to the APA guidelines, Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct,

A)a clinician is responsible for the appropriateness of an analysis even if a computer supplied the interpretation.
B)software companies that supply computerized diagnosis are responsible for the content of the interpretation.
C)clinicians and software companies are equally responsible for the diagnosis provided by a computer program.
D)clinicians are not responsible for the content of a computerized diagnosis.

Question 36

Dehumanization is presented in the text as a

A)professional issue.
B)social issue.
C)technical issue.
D)legal issue.

Question 37

Access to psychological testing is limited by

A)the age of the individual seeking the service.
B)financial considerations.
C)time constraints on the test administrator.
D)the lack of available tests.

Question 38

Test takers

A)have the right to know who will have access to their test data.
B)do not have to be informed if a test has a selection bias.
C)need not be informed about test interpretations and scores if it will pose a threat to the security of the test.
D)have no privacy risks when transmitting data over the Internet.

Question 39

The question, "Is the test any good as a measure of the characteristics it purports to measure?," is

A)a psychometric question.
B)based on ethical and social values.
C)a moral issue.
D)a legal issue.

Question 40

The question, "Should this test be used for this purpose?,"

A)is a technical question.
B)is based on ethical and social issues.
C)depends on research data.
D)is a legal issue.

Question 41

How often do test users typically receive feedback on the accuracy of their predictions and decisions based on tests?

A)Frequently when in clinical settings
B)Typically only when audited or challenged in court
C)Always; it is required by APA for all testing
D)Rarely, if ever

Question 42

Which of the following is the approach in which trained professionals interpret test results?

A)Clinical
B)Statistical
C)Actuarial
D)Psychometric

Question 43

Which of the following is the approach in which test results are interpreted by using a set of rules?

A)Clinical
B)Statistical
C)Actuarial
D)Psychometric

Question 44

Labeling a person as mentally ill tends to have what effect?

A)Decreases stigmatization
B)Facilitates treatment
C)Lowers tolerance for stress
D)Motivates individuals to take control of their outcomes

Question 45

According to the text, one safe prediction for testing is that

A)According to the text, one safe prediction for testing is that
B)increasingly narrow and specific tests will be used.
C)future prospects for testing are grim.
D)future prospects for testing are promising.

Question 46

Which of the following is a fundamental assumption of tests yet is unfounded?

A)Test results are valid and can be interpreted independently of environmental and subject variables during testing.
B)Test users are objective and typically make accurate clinical predictions.
C)Computer administration of tests decreases bias and thus increases validity.
D)Human characteristics are stable and can be measured independently of the environment.

Question 47

In terms of increasing test standards, computers have

A)aided progress by enabling advanced statistical analysis of test information.
B)failed to help because they cause an increase in analytical errors.
C)had little or no impact on the way data is analyzed.
D)caused more problems than they have solved.

Question 48

Emphasis has been placed on ____ in the push for higher standards in testing.

A)reducing the use of computers
B)greater objectivity in test interpretation
C)less objectivity in test interpretation
D)greater subjectivity in test interpretations

Question 49

Some of the impetus in the development of new tests comes from

A)disagreements between professionals about the best way to measure characteristics.
B)so few tests making a profit that test makers need multiple tests to survive.
C)agreements between professionals about the best way to measure characteristics.
D)the fact that so much grant money is available for people to develop new tests.

Question 50

Discuss both the positive and negative aspects of labeling.

Question 51

In psychological testing, computers will

A)play a somewhat uncertain role.
B)be as useful as at present.
C)hold one of the most important roles.
D)not be as important.

Question 52

The issue of divided loyalties in psychological testing refers to loyalties to which two entities?

A)The test taker and the institution that ordered the test
B)The test taker and the test user
C)The test user and the institution that ordered the test
D)The institution that ordered the test and the test developer

Question 53

The result of greater public awareness about testing is

A)complete public support for testing.
B)a reduction of the safeguards in relationship to human rights.
C)that the public is ambivalent about psychological testing.
D)a reduced demand for testing services.

Question 54

The future of the Rorschach and TAT

A)is uncertain.
B)is increased respectability.
C)will not be bright.
D)will be bright.

Question 55

One trend in test development is

A)to design tests that are more theoretical.
B)that the cost of tests is going down.
C)to integrate aspects of applied psychology.
D)designing tests that have good face validity.

Question 56

Changes in personality can typically be attributed to

A)biological changes as people age.
B)adaptation to new environments.
C)education.
D)family socialization.

Question 57

According to your textbook, the majority of new tests are based on

A)theories that are fundamentally different from those in traditional tests.
B)the same principles and underlying theories as the more established tests.
C)the scientific approach of psychological testing.
D)behavioral psychology.

Question 58

An important contribution of the Joint Committee on Testing Practices is

A)identifying specific tests that should be used in specific situations.
B)delineating the qualifications of test users.
C)establishing requirements for testing reimbursement.
D)requesting a moratorium on test development so standards could be developed.

Question 59

The issue of actuarial versus clinical prediction has recently reemerged due to what advancement in testing?

A)Increases in validation studies
B)Norming on diverse groups
C)Legal mandates for educational testing
D)Computerization of test interpretation

Question 60

A basic assumption of most tests is that the traits being measured are stable. Some researchers have challenged this assumption. Discuss the issues regarding this challenge and outline how they have been dealt with.

Question 61

Describe the responsibilities of test users outlined by APA guidelines.

Question 62

Identify and discuss the implications of three human rights issues that arise in testing.

Question 63

Discuss how testing has improved over time and what issues remain to be adequately addressed.